# Advancing Data Privacy in Cloud Storage: A Novel Multi-Layer Encoding Framework
## 4 The Anticipated Cloud Storage Structure
### Components of the Framework  
There are nine components of the framework, and these components are described below:  
1. _Participants:_ In this section, we will integrate the privacy-protecting attributes and design elements to develop a new framework designed to protect cloud storage from privacy breaches. The subsequent components describe the framework's structure, and the design elements incorporated within it are as follows: the proposed framework involves three key participants: the cloud service providers (CSPs), users, and the system administrator. The CSP offers a range of services, including network connectivity, computation time, etc. Users seek secure communication with the CSP, while the system administrator is responsible for crucial tasks such as data reception, initial AES encryption, and maintaining a list of authorized individuals. 2. _Registration:_ A registration process is implemented to allow users to fully utilize the features and cloud services. 3. _Data processing:_ To add an element of dispersion and enhance security, the framework allows for data segmentation and recombination. Users have the option to encode their data before outsourcing it to the cloud, utilizing AES encryption for the initial layer of protection. 4. _Cryptographic techniques:_ The framework employs two encoding levels to safeguard susceptible data. The 1 st layer of encoding is performed by authenticated participants using AES. The 2 nd layer utilizes the RSA algorithm. This dual-layer encryption approach enhances the overall security of the system. AES and RSA algorithms generally work together to provide secure and efficient encryption. AES is fast and more suitable for encrypting large volumes of data, whereas RSA is used to securely transmit the AES key. In this combined approach, the data is first encrypted using AES for speed, and then the AES key is encrypted using the recipient's RSA public key. After receiving the message, the recipient may decrypt the AES key using the private RSA key to access encrypted data. This combination will offer a balance between secure key exchange and speed. Example: While sending a highly confidential document, the sender will encrypt the file using AES, and then he/she will encrypt the AES key using RSA. The recipient will use his/her RSA private key to retrieve the AES key for decrypting the file. Further, the homomorphic encryption will allow data to remain encrypted during processing. Hence, it protects sensitive information while performing computations and data transmission. However, sometimes this method may involve high computational costs. * _Auditing:_ The framework emphasizes internal auditing conducted by the system admin rather than relying on external auditors. Internal auditing provides a higher level of security and confidentiality, as there is no risk of exposing sensitive data to external entities. * _Data controller:_ The framework includes a data controller mechanism that enables efficient retrieval and storage of data from cloud storage through the CSP. This ensures proper data management and facilitates seamless access to stored information. * _External assets:_ One notable technology integrated into the framework is the one-time password (OTP) for additional verification. OTP technology provides an extra layer of security by generating unique, time-limited passwords that users must provide for authentication purposes. By employing OTP, the framework enhances the verification process and strengthens user authentication. * _Combining data and segmentation:_ The framework employs combining data and segmentation mechanisms to enhance privacy. Prior to encryption, data is segmented into smaller chunks. Upon decryption, the combined result of these segments is supposed to be the original data. * _Multi-cloud storage:_ The framework recommends adopting a multi-cloud storage approach to ensure the availability of data and anonymization in the event of storage failures. This may help in enhancing data availability and maintaining anonymity.