A Forensic Pattern-Based Approach for Investigations in Cloud System Environments

Unified Communications (UC) is revolutionizing next generation enterprise networks by allowing human voice and video to travel over existing packet data networks along with UC services such as video teleconferencing (VTC), unified messaging, and chat. The ultimate goal for UC is an integrated, fully-converged, cloud-based architecture. The implementation of this technology brings new forensic challenges to network investigators. Recently, a cloud service delivery model known as UC as a Service (UCaaS) is gaining momentum in the field of Information Technology. This paper discusses the main challenges associated with forensic investigations in an UC cloud environment. Further, this research attempts to improve UC security by proposing two semi-formal patterns in order to create a Cloud Forensic Model. These patterns provide a systematic approach to network forensic collection and analysis of digital evidence in UCaaS architectures. The proposed cloud forensic framework will allow network investigators to specify, analyze and implement network forensic investigations for technologies under the UC umbrella.