Cloud Computing

Criminal Activity

While cloud computing can potentially result in significant cost reduction and convenience for both individual and organizational users (e.g., the capability to share and access data in real time in the always connected “cloud” from devices such as smartphones), users need to be aware of the privacy risks associated with the use of cloud computing services. In May 2014, for example, a significant number of Australian Apple iOS devices were reportedly hijacked and locked for ransom. Subsequent investigations determined that the affected users’ iCloud accounts had been compromised, and affected users who did not set a passcode prior to the hack had to reset their devices to factory settings. The latter resulted in the erasure of all user data stored on the affected devices. In another high-profile incident, a number of iCloud accounts belonging to several celebrities were reportedly compromised in September 2014, which resulted in the theft of photos (many of which were intimate) from these accounts. The incident was subsequently confirmed by Apple.

In most criminal cases involving the use of cloud computing services, evidence is located in one or more overseas jurisdictions, and government agencies may find it difficult or challenging to obtain access to the evidential data without the timely assistance of the authorities and cloud service providers in these overseas jurisdictions. Existing digital forensic techniques are designed to collect evidential data from computing devices, where advanced security features and antiforensic techniques are rarely exploited to their full extent. In contrast, serious and organized criminals often make use of information and communications [Page 192]technologies (ICT) specifically designed to evade legal interception and forensic collection attempts. Therefore, the digital forensics “space” can be seen as a race to keep up not only with hardware (i.e., device) and software releases by providers but also with software and hardware modifications made by end users, particularly serious and organized criminals, to complicate or prevent the collection and analysis of digital evidence.

...