Following the breadcrumbs: Timestamp pattern identification for cloud forensics

Abstract

This study explores the challenges of digital forensics investigation in file access, transfer and operations, and identifies file operational and behavioral patterns based on timestamps—in both the standalone as well as interactions between Windows NTFS and Ubuntu Ext4 filesystems. File-based metadata is observed, and timestamps across different cloud access behavioral patterns are compared and validated. As critical metadata information cannot be easily observed, a rigorous iterative approach was implemented to extract hidden, critical file attributes and timestamps. Direct observation and cross-sectional analysis were adopted to analyze timestamps, and to differentiate between patterns based on different types of cloud access operations. Fundamental observation rules and characteristics of file interaction in the cloud environment are derived as behavioral patterns for cloud operations. This study contributes to cloud forensics investigation of data breach incidents where the crime clues, characteristics and evidence of the incidents are collected, identified and analyzed. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of pattern identification for digital forensics across various types of cloud access operations.