Abstract
The advent of Edge Computing has brought forth new challenges in ensuring secure and privacy-preserving access control for distributed services. This postgraduate student project proposes a solution titled “AADEC” (Anonymous and Auditable Distributed Access Control) to address these cloud computing services challenges. The project focuses on enhancing the security, privacy, and auditability aspects of access control in Edge Computing environments.
Existing System: Current Edge cloud computing services access control systems often lack sufficient mechanisms to protect user privacy and ensure accountability. Traditional systems may rely on centralized servers, leading to potential single points of failure and vulnerability.
Proposed System: AADEC introduces a decentralized and distributed access control mechanism that combines anonymity and auditability. The system leverages blockchain technology to maintain an immutable and transparent log of access requests while ensuring user identities remain confidential. Smart contracts implemented in Solidity facilitate trustless execution of access control policies.
System Requirements: The AADEC system requires a network of edge computing nodes with computing capabilities and storage. Each node should have a reliable internet connection for communication and blockchain interaction. Additionally, participants must possess cryptographic key pairs for secure identification.
Hardware Requirements:
- Edge Computing Nodes: Devices with processing capabilities (e.g., Raspberry Pi, edge servers)
- Network Infrastructure: Reliable internet connectivity
- Cryptographic Hardware: Secure hardware for key pair generation and management
Software Requirements:
- Ethereum Blockchain: To implement the distributed and decentralized nature of the access control system
- Solidity Smart Contracts: Executable code deployed on the blockchain for access control policies
- Node.js: For server-side application development and interaction with the blockchain
- Web3.js: A JavaScript library for interacting with the Ethereum blockchain
Architecture:
AADEC adopts a decentralized architecture where edge computing nodes communicate with each other through a peer-to-peer network. Smart contracts on the Ethereum blockchain enforce access control policies, and cryptographic techniques ensure anonymity during user interactions.
Technologies Used:
- Ethereum Blockchain: Provides a decentralized and tamper-resistant ledger for access control policies.
- Solidity: The programming language for developing smart contracts on the Ethereum platform.
- IPFS (InterPlanetary File System): Used for decentralized storage of audit logs and access control policies.
- Zero-Knowledge Proofs: Employed to achieve anonymous user authentication and access verification.
Web User Interface:
The project includes a user-friendly web interface for administrators to configure access control policies, monitor access requests, and view audit logs. The interface is built using modern web development technologies, ensuring compatibility with popular browsers.
