A framework for preservation of cloud users’ data privacy using dynamic reconstruction of metadata

Abstract

In the rising paradigm of cloud computing, attainment of sustainable levels of cloud users’ trust in using cloud services is directly dependent on effective mitigation of its associated impending risks and resultant security threats. Among the various indispensible security services required to ensure effective cloud functionality leading to enhancement of users’ confidence in using cloud offerings, those related to the preservation of cloud users’ data privacy are significantly important and must be matured enough to withstand the imminent security threats, as emphasized in this research paper. This paper highlights the possibility of exploiting the metadata stored in cloud's database in order to compromise the privacy of users’ data items stored using a cloud provider's simple storage service. It, then, proposes a framework based on database schema redesign and dynamic reconstruction of metadata for the preservation of cloud users’ data privacy. Using the sensitivity parameterization parent class membership of cloud database attributes, the database schema is modified using cryptographic as well as relational privacy preservation operations. At the same time, unaltered access to database files is ensured for the cloud provider using dynamic reconstruction of metadata for the restoration of original database schema, when required. The suitability of the proposed technique with respect to private cloud environments is ensured by keeping the formulation of its constituent steps well aligned with the recommendations proposed by various Standards Development Organizations working in this domain.