Abstract-Entities (e.g., users, services) have to authenticate themselves to service providers (SPs) in order to use their services. An entity provides personally identifiable information (PII) that uniquely identifies it to an SP.In the traditional application-centric Identity Management (IDM) model, each application keeps trace of identities of the entities that use it. In cloud computing, entities may have multiple accounts associated with different SPs, or one SP. Sharing PIIs of the same entity across services along with associated attributes can lead to mapping of PIIs to the entity.We propose an entity-centric approach for IDM in the cloud. The approach is based on: (1) active bundles-each including a payload of PII, privacy policies and a virtual machine that enforces the policies and uses a set of protection mechanisms to protect themselves; (2) anonymous identification to mediate interactions between the entity and cloud services using entity's privacy policies.The main characteristics of the approach are: it is independent of third party, gives minimum information to the SP and provides ability to use identity data on untrusted hosts.
Abstract-Cloud computing allows the use of Internet-based services to support business processes and rental of IT-services on a utility-like basis. It offers a concentration of resources but also poses risks for data privacy. A single breach can cause significant loss. The heterogeneity of "users" represents a danger of multiple, collaborative threats.In cloud computing, entities may have multiple accounts associated with a single or multiple service providers (SPs). Sharing sensitive identity information (that is, Personally Identifiable information or PII) along with associated attributes of the same entity across services can lead to mapping of the identities to the entity, tantamount to privacy loss.Identity management (IDM) is one of the core components in cloud privacy and security and can help alleviate some of the problems associated with cloud computing. Available solutions use trusted third party (TTP) in identifying entities to SPs. The solution providers do not recommend the usage of their solutions on untrusted hosts.We propose an approach for IDM, which is independent of TTP and has the ability to use identity data on untrusted hosts. The approach is based on the use of predicates over encrypted data and multi-party computing for negotiating a use of a cloud service. It uses active bundle-which is a middleware agent that includes PII data, privacy policies, a virtual machine that enforces the policies, and has a set of protection mechanisms to protect itself. An active bundle interacts on behalf of a user to authenticate to cloud services using user's privacy policies.
The solution for protecting data privacy proposed in this paper-called Active Bundles-protects sensitive data from their disclosure to unauthorized parties and from unauthorized dissemination (even if started by an authorized party). The Active Bundles solution protects private or sensitive data throughout their entire lifecycle, from creation through dissemination to partial or total destruction (such as evaporation or apoptosis defined in the paper). In addition, it protects identity of entities exchanging private data. The core of the solution are active bundles themselves, which are containers with a payload of sensitive data, metadata, and a virtual machine specific to the active bundle. Metadata control access to private data and dissemination of active bundles. The main virtual machine roles are: validating integrity of its active bundle; and enforcing access control policies and dissemination policies for data of the active bundle. The Active Bundles solution also includes the active bundle exchange protocol for transmitting the bundles between hosts. The protocol uses buddies to provide anonymity to senders and receivers. The performance of the Active Bundles solution for data dissemination is evaluated analytically and by a simulation. The results indicate that: (i) the percentage of sensitive data that reaches unauthorized hosts during dissemination can be high, (ii) the apoptosis mechanism protects sensitive data from dissemination to unauthorized hosts, (iii) the Active Bundles solution provides a level of anonymity to hosts while it does not decrease significantly the throughput of buddies.
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