Enhancing Cloud Security: A Blockchain-Based Verification Framework for Multi-Cloud Virtual Machine Images

Abstract

The security of Virtual Machine Images (VMIs) in the rapidly evolving landscape of cloud computing is critically challenged by the dynamics of cloud services. Our research introduces a blockchain-verified framework that revolutionizes VMI management across diverse cloud platforms by embedding trust and integrity into a substantial number of cloud operations. Through an innovative automated trust mechanism, this study connects the immutability of blockchain and the efficiency of smart contracts to validate VMIs and ensure their authenticity before deployment. Our integrated solution was rigorously tested on a server equipped with an Intel Xeon E5-2686 v4 processor, 64 GB DDR4 RAM, and 1 TB SSD, further supported by a comprehensive dataset of 5,000 VMIs that reflect the complexity of contemporary cloud environments. The performance of the proposed system is meticulously quantified using verification and deployment times, alongside system overhead, revealing an average verification time of 2.5 seconds and a deployment time of 5 minutes, with a manageable overhead increase of 5%. These compelling results demonstrate the capability of the system to substantially bolster cloud security, establishing a transparent, secure, and efficient verification process. The outcome of this study marks a significant stride towards a resilient cloud infrastructure that promises enhanced security, operational efficiency, and increased trust among users, potentially accelerating the broader acceptance and adoption of cloud-based services.