Comparative Study of Cloud Encryption Algorithms and Their Role in Securing Data Across Public, Private, and Hybrid Cloud Environments

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative analysis of cloud encryption algorithms and their role in securing data across public, private, and hybrid cloud environments. As cloud adoption grows, the need for robust encryption techniques to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access, breaches, and internal threats becomes increasingly critical. The study focuses on two primary encryption approaches: symmetric encryption, exemplified by Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), and asymmetric encryption, represented by RSA. It examines the strengths and weaknesses of these algorithms in different cloud models, with special attention to key management, computational efficiency, scalability, and security. Public clouds, characterized by multi-tenancy and external threats, often employ AES for its performance, while private clouds, with their controlled environments, may use a mix of AES and RSA to secure internal communications and data storage. Hybrid clouds pose additional challenges, as data needs to be encrypted seamlessly across public and private environments. This paper also highlights future directions, including the potential of emerging technologies such as homomorphic encryption and quantum-resistant algorithms to address existing challenges, particularly around key management and computational overhead. The findings aim to guide organizations in selecting encryption strategies tailored to their specific cloud environments, balancing security and performance requirements.