How does cloud forensics differ from on-premises forensics?

Investigating cloud-based incidents differs from handling incidents in traditional on-premises environments in several ways:

1. Visibility: In a cloud environment, visibility into the infrastructure and data may be more limited compared to traditional on-premises setups, as the cloud provider manages much of the underlying infrastructure.

2. Data Access: Data in the cloud may be distributed across multiple locations and services, leading to complexities in accessing and correlating information during an investigation.

3. Logging and Monitoring: Cloud environments often provide different logging and monitoring mechanisms than traditional on-premises setups, requiring expertise in leveraging cloud-specific tools and services for incident detection and response.

4. Shared Responsibility Model: Cloud service providers operate on a shared responsibility model, where the provider is responsible for certain aspects of security, while customers are responsible for others. This dynamic affects how incidents are investigated and remediated.

5. Forensics Challenges: Conducting forensic investigations in the cloud may pose challenges due to shared resources, dynamic environments, and limited control over underlying infrastructure.

In summary, investigating cloud-based incidents requires understanding the unique dynamics and challenges of cloud environments compared to traditional on-premises setups.