Collaborative Integrity Verification for Blockchain-Based Cloud Forensic Readiness Data Protection

Abstract

AbstractA conceptual intelligent framework for securing Cloud Forensic Readiness framework for a proactive collection of potential digital evidence from the Cloud and enhancing trust in chain-of-custody is presented in this paper. The complexities of Cloud technology including multitenancy and inter-jurisdictional spanning are making forensic investigation on Cloud storage difficult. The immensity of the Cloud data makes it difficult to be thoroughly searched as required for forensic investigation. Securing the integrity of digital evidence in the hands of its custodians is also important. These problems and other challenges peculiar to the Cloud call for effective solutions. Forensic readiness is used to maximize the ability to collect digital evidence and minimize the cost of forensic during an incident response investigation. Researchers have proposed different solutions to improve forensic readiness systems and make them suitable for their purposes. Preventing digital evidence in a forensic readiness system from being corrupted by its custodians is found to be open to research. A blockchain solution with crypto hash security for collaborative mutual authentication of the proactively collected data is proposed in this work. It uses the elliptic curve cryptography algorithms for verification of the custodians of data and authentication of the digital evidence integrity. The solution will adequately mitigate sharp practices from the digital evidence custodian who may want to compromise it, and also enhance the admissibility of the digital evidence in court by ensuring an acceptable standard for its collection. KeywordsCloud forensic readinessPotential digital evidenceChain of custody