Identity authentication-based load balancing with Merkle hash tree for secured cloud data storage

Abstract

Cloud computing allows users to store and process the data in the cloud in a simple manner. However, cloud security and load balancing remain as demanding issues in cloud server. An identity authentication load balancing based Merkle hashing (IALB-MH) technique is introduced for the user to access the cloud services with unique identity (ID). Initially each cloud user sends their ID to the CS for registration. The cloud service provider checks whether the user has authenticated or not by matching the cloud user ID with the ID in CS. Therefore, a load balancing is performed by avoiding the unauthorised access to data. A Merkle hash tree is constructed to store the user data with hash values in a secured manner with minimal storage space. Experimental evaluation is carried out on load balancing efficiency, attack detection rate, space and time complexity with respect to a number of cloud users and data.