KSF-OABE: Outsourced Attribute-Based Encryption with Keyword Search Function for Cloud Storage

Abstract

This research proposes a novel scheme, KSF-OABE, combining outsourced Attribute-Based Encryption (ABE) with a keyword search function for secure cloud storage. The primary objective is to enable efficient keyword searches on encrypted data while maintaining data confidentiality and fine-grained access control. The system allows data owners to outsource data and search operations to a cloud server without compromising security. Our evaluation demonstrates improved performance and enhanced security compared to existing solutions, addressing the challenges of balancing efficiency and security in cloud-based keyword search.

Introduction

Cloud storage offers scalability and cost-effectiveness, but it introduces security concerns regarding data confidentiality and access control. Traditional encryption methods lack the ability to perform searches directly on encrypted data, requiring decryption before searching, which is inefficient and insecure. Attribute-based encryption (ABE) provides fine-grained access control, allowing decryption only by users possessing specific attributes. However, integrating keyword search functionality into ABE remains challenging. This research aims to address these challenges by developing a secure and efficient keyword search mechanism integrated with outsourced ABE for cloud environments. The major gap lies in the lack of efficient and secure solutions that balance performance and access control for keyword search over encrypted data in outsourced scenarios.

Objectives

• Develop a secure and efficient keyword search mechanism integrated with outsourced ABE.
• Minimize the computational overhead on both the data owner and the user.
• Ensure data confidentiality and fine-grained access control throughout the process.