Digital Forensics: Challenges and Future Research Directions

Abstract

Information and communications technologies (ICT) are fundamental to modern society and open the door to increased productivity, faster communication capabilities, and immeasurable convenience. The increased dependence on ICT and the pervasive interconnectivity of our ICT infrastructure also change the way criminals conduct their activities. There is a need for policing to adapt enforcement and investigation strategies in order to account for these changes. This chapter looks at challenges faced by law enforcement agencies in examining digital evidence for modern communication technologies. Three potential research questions are identified in the areas of physical memory forensics, forensic investigation in the cloud environment, and alternatively non prosecution-based approaches to low-end/less serious high volume data cyber criminal cases.

Keywords: Cloud forensics; Computer forensics; Digital evidence; Digital forensics; Online child exploitation

JEL Classification: C88, C89, K42, K49