Cloud Computing Security and Forensics Issues and Awareness of Cloud Storage Users in Malaysia Yee Say Keat 1 , Babak Bashari Rad 2 , Mohammad Ahmadi 3 School of Computing and Technology Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) Technology Park Malaysia (TPM), Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur 57000 Malaysia 1 adamyeeree@gmail.com, 2 babak.basharirad@apu.edu.my, 3 ahmadi@apu.edu.my ABSTRACT Cloud storage services are widely getting acceptance and gaining popularity, since it is used mostly by companies and students in Malaysian higher learning institutions. While cloud storage services got popular within last two years, most of the people are still trying to adapt to this new technology and some people still does not fully understand what cloud storage services are. In this paper, the authors present the results and an analysis of survey conducted on the awareness and concerns of Malaysians about cloud storage services, and its forensics and security issues. Questionnaires were administered to two hundred fifty users of cloud storage in Malaysia and fifty to the public to get the responses of people, especially student concerning about the cloud storage services. The responses from participants revealed valuable information about the public awareness and knowledge on cloud services. Relevant areas that required improvements are also investigated and discussed in this paper. KEYWORDS Cloud Computing, Cloud Forensics, Cloud Security, Forensics Awareness 1 INTRODUCTION Cloud storage services are increasingly used by various types of ordinary consumers and professional businesses, as well as government departments and organizations that might store large amount of data, such as educational institutions [1]. The new trend in storing data is to use cloud storage, due to its convenience and accessibility, anytime, and anywhere [2]. There are still many problems and concerns for cloud storages [3]. For example, if the security of the cloud storage system has compromised, can cloud storage administrators or investigation officers view users’ confidential data and what would be the best way to prevent that from view? A survey has been conducted from the users of cloud storage services and white-collar users from the Information Technology and business based industries to explore these concerns. The study involves data collection among students in several universities in Malaysia using questionnaires. The authors believe this research would help investigators, examiners and developers or forensic investigation companies who are interested in developing forensics tools, countermeasures, and techniques to develop their knowledge and skills of investigations based on the public consciousness of cloud storage in Malaysia. 2 LITERITURE REVIEW Cloud storage forensic research is considered as a new research area and hot topic in information technology [4] [5]. As people are trying to adapt to this new technology and service, most of people are also trying to gain more information and knowledge on what this new technology can offer [6]. Furthermore, as more people use the cloud storage services, the more dangerous issues and challenges it will present for security and forensic investigators [7]. This is because cloud storage services are open to anyone who has access to the Internet. Users such as hackers are also welcome to use the services to conduct any crime activities [8] [9]. The group of hackers will find any of the systems vulnerabilities and conduct the hacking activities. For example, the incident about Apple in year of 2014, around 26 various celebrities’ naked photo had been taken by the group of hackers [10]. Furthermore, Cloud computing is computing based on the internet. Last 10-20 years, people would run applications or programs from software downloaded on a physical computer or place International Journal of Cyber-Security and Digital Forensics (IJCSDF) 6(1): 1-13 1 The Society of Digital Information and Wireless Communications (SDIWC), 2017 ISSN: 2305-0012