EStore: A User-Friendly Encrypted Storage Scheme for Distributed File Systems.

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Information Security
• Distributed Systems

Background:

• Cloud-based distributed file systems enable collaboration but often store data in plaintext, posing security risks.
• Simple encryption methods compromise data availability and present complex key management challenges, increasing leakage risks.
• Existing systems lack robust control over uploaded and shared data, necessitating secure storage solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose EStore, a user-friendly encrypted storage scheme for Hadoop distributed file systems.
• To enhance data security, availability, and collaboration in cloud-based storage environments.
• To address challenges of plaintext storage, data control, and complex key management.

Main Methods:

• Developed an encrypted storage model and threat model with a corresponding system architecture.
• Designed and implemented six security and usability protocols for EStore.
• Integrated user/key management, searchable encryption, and encryption/decryption modules.
• Focused on minimizing client overhead and storage redundancy.

Main Results:

• EStore provides a secure and user-friendly encrypted storage scheme.
• The system effectively manages users and keys through registration and authentication.
• Searchable encryption and secure data outsourcing are supported with minimal performance impact.
• Security analysis confirms the feasibility and security of the proposed protocols.

Conclusions:

• EStore offers a robust solution for secure data storage and collaboration on distributed file systems.
• The scheme enhances data confidentiality and availability while simplifying key management.
• Users gain improved security and control over their data compared to original file systems.