Enhanced Model for Cloud Data Security based on Searchable Encryption and Hybrid Fragmentation

Cloud computing is a new technology that transfer the computing process from personal computers into cloud servers over the internet. Nevertheless, as the client information data is stored in the cloud provider servers, the confidentiality of the information become a new concern. Different algorithms based on Encryption is presented previously to provide cloud clients with confidentiality. The main idea of encryption algorithms for cloud data is to permit cloud clients queries to be handled using encrypted data without decryption. This paper presents a new security mechanism using hybrid method of encryption algorithms and a distribution system to enhance cloud database confidentiality. A vertical fragmentation technique is adopted from alsirhani's model for distributing data over clouds. However, to overcome a weakness in alsirhani's model where compromises to a fragment can still make data meaningful. Instead, the proposed model uses a hybrid fragmentation technique to make data on fragments meaningless if compromised. The proposed model distributes the cloud database among the clouds using the provider views and level of confidentiality that is delivered by the employed encryption algorithms. To evaluate the proposed searchable encryption and hybrid fragmentation model, the study developed a Java application for simulating the hybrid cloud. The simulation combines public and private clouds; as essential processes is conducted inside the private cloud. The evaluation of the work was conducted by comparing the proposed model with existing solutions in query response and security characteristics. Preliminary results showed that the proposed searchable encryption and hybrid fragmentation model provides a secure mechanism that enhances data confidentiality in terms of faster response and additional security.