TSKY: a dependable middleware solution for data privacy using public storage clouds

Abstract

This dissertation aims to take advantage of the virtues offered by data storage cloud based systems on the Internet, proposing a solution that avoids security issues by combining different providers’ solutions in a vision of a cloud-of-clouds storage and computing. The solution, TSKY System (or Trusted Sky), is implemented as a middleware system, featuring a set of components designed to establish and to enhance conditions for security, privacy, reliability and availability of data, with these conditions being secured and verifiable by the end-user, independently of each provider. These components, implement cryptographic tools, including threshold and homomorphic cryptographic schemes, combined with encryption, replication, and dynamic indexing mecha-nisms. The solution allows data management and distribution functions over data kept in different storage clouds, not necessarily trusted, improving and ensuring resilience and security guarantees against Byzantine faults and at-tacks. The generic approach of the TSKY system model and its implemented services are evaluated in the context of a Trusted Email Repository System (TSKY-TMS System). The TSKY-TMS system is a prototype that uses the base TSKY middleware services to store mailboxes and email Messages in a cloud-of-clouds.