On a local computer, digital forensics are subject to strict limits; the use of cloud-based applications in the data center or with a cloud provider makes the work of the experts much easier. Exterro names the advantages of centrally running forensic solutions for companies and authorities.
After cyber attacks, data protection violations or criminal offenses in which smartphones, online services and other digital tools were used, IT forensic scientists in companies and investigative authorities often have to examine enormous amounts of data and are often under time pressure. They therefore rely on modern tools that quickly save and evaluate data from a wide variety of sources, prepare test results in a clear manner and facilitate collaboration with colleagues.
Cloud-based IT forensics after attacks
Exterro, provider of legal GRC software that unifies e-discovery, digital forensics, data protection and cybersecurity compliance, explains how cloud-based solutions help:
- Highest scalability and performance
Both indexing large amounts of data and cracking passwords and decrypting data carriers require a lot of computing power and can take a long time even on powerful workstations. Cloud-based forensic applications that run in your own data center or with a cloud provider save time because they are almost infinitely scalable and therefore offer the highest processing speeds. They absorb peak loads optimally and make better use of the existing hardware resources than a large number of single-user installations. - Low IT administration effort
Maintaining a central forensic application in the data center or the cloud makes IT departments less work than managing and updating countless installations on workstation computers. In the cloud, the cloud provider also takes care of the underlying infrastructure, which further relieves IT departments and ensures the highest possible availability of the applications. - Seamless collaboration
Several employees from different departments or offices are usually involved in the digital search for evidence of security incidents, data breaches and criminal offenses. Cloud-based solutions allow forensic scientists to jointly analyze the centrally saved data without exchanging data carriers by courier or sending large amounts of data digitally. In addition, they can prepare the results of their investigations in a clear manner and easily share them with other experts - in the company, for example, with security specialists or the in-house lawyer, in police authorities with investigators or the public prosecutor's office. Access is easy via the browser and does not require a local application installation. Granular rights control exactly who can see and work with which data.
High processing speed via cloud
"The cloud has long been standard in many application areas, and more and more companies and authorities are also relying on cloud-based solutions for forensic investigations," reports Jens Reumessel, Director of Sales DACH at Exterro. “Forensic scientists particularly appreciate the high processing speeds in the cloud and the convenient way of working with colleagues and experts from other departments. It is particularly easy to use with cloud providers, which can be designed in compliance with data protection thanks to local data centers and where companies and authorities always retain sovereignty over the application and all data. Alternatively, it is also possible to set it up in the company or government cloud in your own data center.”
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About exterro
Exterro provides legal governance, risk and compliance software that the world's largest corporations, law firms and government agencies use to proactively manage and protect their complex data protection, cybersecurity compliance, legal operations and digital forensics processes. The software is the only one in the industry that combines all legal GRC requirements within a single platform and offers extensive automation capabilities.