An agent-based searchable encryption scheme in mobile computing environment

Abstract

The cryptographic operations in existing searchable encryption protocols will consume a lot of energy of terminals if they are used in mobile computing environment. To address this issue, novel schemes of searchable encryption are required. In this paper, for reducing user's computational burden generated by the expensive cryptographic operations, an agent-based searchable encryption (ABSE) scheme with its security model is proposed in order that the searchable encryption can be used in mobile computing environment. A concrete implement of ABSE with its security proof is presented to help user search the related data with some keywords trapdoors in either cases that the agent is online or offline. Performance analysis is also provided to show this scheme is suitable to be used in mobile environments.