A Survey of Contemporary Enterprise Storage Technologies from a Digital Forensics Perspective

As the proliferation of digital computational systems continue to expand, increasingly complex technologies emerge, including those regarding large, enterprise-wide, information storage and retrieval systems. Within this study, we examine four contemporary enterprise storage technologies. Our examination of these technologies is presented with an overview of the technological features of each offering and then followed with a discussion of the impact of these technologies on digital forensics methods, particularly regarding forensic data acquisition. We offer a general opinion concerning a recommended data acquisition method when faced with the task of obtaining a forensic image of data contained within these technologies, we discuss limitations of our study, and lastly, we suggest areas in which additional research would benefit the field of digital forensics

Innovative public governance through cloud computing: Information privacy, business models and performance measurement challenges

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze challenges and to discuss proposed solutions for innovative public governance through cloud computing. Innovative technologies, such as federation of services and cloud computing, can greatly contribute to the provision of e-government services, through scaleable and flexible systems. Furthermore, they can facilitate in reducing costs and overcoming public information segmentation. Nonetheless, when public agencies use these technologies, they encounter several associated organizational and technical changes, as well as significant challenges. Design/methodology/approach: We followed a multidisciplinary perspective (social, behavioral, business and technical) and conducted a conceptual analysis for analyzing the associated challenges. We conducted focus group interviews in two countries for evaluating the performance models that resulted from the conceptual analysis. Findings: This study identifies and analyzes several challenges that may emerge while adopting innovative technologies for public governance and e-government services. Furthermore, it presents suggested solutions deriving from the experience of designing a related platform for public governance, including issues of privacy requirements, proposed business models and key performance indicators for public services on cloud computing. Research limitations/implications: The challenges and solutions discussed are based on the experience gained by designing one platform. However, we rely on issues and challenges collected from four countries. Practical implications: The identification of challenges for innovative design of e-government services through a central portal in Europe and using service federation is expected to inform practitioners in different roles about significant changes across multiple levels that are implied and may accelerate the challenges' resolution. Originality/value: This is the first study that discusses from multiple perspectives and through empirical investigation the challenges to realize public governance through innovative technologies. The results emerge from an actual portal that will function at a European level. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Digital Preservation, Archival Science and Methodological Foundations for Digital Libraries

Digital libraries, whether commercial, public or personal, lie at the heart of the information society. Yet, research into their long‐term viability and the meaningful accessibility of their contents remains in its infancy. In general, as we have pointed out elsewhere, ‘after more than twenty years of research in digital curation and preservation the actual theories, methods and technologies that can either foster or ensure digital longevity remain startlingly limited.’ Research led by DigitalPreservationEurope (DPE) and the Digital Preservation Cluster of DELOS has allowed us to refine the key research challenges – theoretical, methodological and technological – that need attention by researchers in digital libraries during the coming five to ten years, if we are to ensure that the materials held in our emerging digital libraries are to remain sustainable, authentic, accessible and understandable over time. Building on this work and taking the theoretical framework of archival science as bedrock, this paper investigates digital preservation and its foundational role if digital libraries are to have long‐term viability at the centre of the global information society.

The Pervasive Impact of Information Technology on Internal Auditing

The impetus for this supplemental chapter titled The Pervasive Impact of Information Technology on Internal Auditing comes from The Institute of Internal Auditors Research Foundation (IIARF) monograph, Research Opportunities in Internal Auditing (2003), hereafter ROIA. ROIA combines theory and practice in conceptual frameworks to promote an understanding of the contemporary internal auditing environment. The goals of ROIA include stimulating academic research on significant internal auditing topics and serving as a “communication bridge” between academics and practicing professionals. ROIA provided us with internal auditing related subject matter content, including the most promising areas of information technology (IT) application in internal auditing. One significant topic that is only briefly mentioned in ROIA is the impact of IT on the internal audit function.3 IT is revolutionizing the nature and scope of worldwide communications, changing business processes, and erasing the traditional boundaries of the organization — internally between departments and externally with suppliers and customers. The resulting intra-enterprise coordination as well as inter-enterprise integration with external business partners through supply chain management and customer relationship management systems demonstrates the power of IT as both a driver and enabler of management processes and strategies. Indeed, internal auditors must recognize and leverage the powerful capabilities of computers and technology in collecting, generating, and evaluating information for managerial decision making related to strategy, risk management and controls, and, more broadly, for effective organizational governance. At the same time, internal auditors must recognize that IT, in itself, will not increase the function’s effectiveness. Rather internal auditors must first understand the audit objectives and select appropriate IT to achieve those objectives (i.e., the task-technology fit is essential). It is also imperative that internal auditors understand their organization’s appropriate leveraging of IT, and learn to harness additional IT to optimize internal audit performance.https://ecommons.udayton.edu/books/1037/thumbnail.jp

A New Framework for Securing, Extracting and Analyzing Big Forensic Data

Finding new methods to investigate criminal activities, behaviors, and responsibilities has always been a challenge for forensic research. Advances in big data, technology, and increased capabilities of smartphones has contributed to the demand for modern techniques of examination. Smartphones are ubiquitous, transformative, and have become a goldmine for forensics research. Given the right tools and research methods investigating agencies can help crack almost any illegal activity using smartphones. This paper focuses on conducting forensic analysis in exposing a terrorist or criminal network and introduces a new Big Forensic Data Framework model where different technologies of Hadoop and EnCase software are combined in an effort to promote more effective and efficient processing of the massive Big Forensic Data. The research propositions this model postulates could lead the investigating agencies to the head of the terrorist networks. Results indicate the Big Forensic Data Framework model is capable of processing Big Forensic Data

A New Framework for Securing, Extracting and Analyzing Big Forensic Data

Finding new methods to investigate criminal activities, behaviors, and responsibilities has always been a challenge for forensic research. Advances in big data, technology, and increased capabilities of smartphones has contributed to the demand for modern techniques of examination. Smartphones are ubiquitous, transformative, and have become a goldmine for forensics research. Given the right tools and research methods investigating agencies can help crack almost any illegal activity using smartphones. This paper focuses on conducting forensic analysis in exposing a terrorist or criminal network and introduces a new Big Forensic Data Framework model where different technologies of Hadoop and EnCase software are combined in an effort to promote more effective and efficient processing of the massive Big Forensic Data. The research propositions this model postulates could lead the investigating agencies to the head of the terrorist networks. Results indicate the Big Forensic Data Framework model is capable of processing Big Forensic Data