Multi Factor Two-way Hash-Based Authentication in Cloud Computing

Abstract

The expansion of Cloud computing is influencing various domains such as education, the banking sector, industries, government, health informatics, and individuals. The characteristics of an easy interface, on-demand access, scalability, and low infrastructure investment have to lead to the fast adaptation of Cloud computing based upon their needs. Despite the advantages, Cloud computing is open to more security risks and attacks especially in terms of communication due to the lack of secure authentication and privacy. In this article is presented a novel hash-based multifactor secure mutual authentication scheme that includes mathematical hashing properties, certificates, nonce values, traditional user ids, and password mechanisms that resist MITM attacks, replay attacks, and forgery attacks. We implemented our proposed method in the Microsoft Azure cloud and the results are evaluated. The security analysis is done by using the Scyther tool and with a formal analysis by using GNY belief logic. The results indicate the proposed scheme is capable of providing strong secure authentication.