Towards achieving anonymity in LBS: A cloud based untrusted middleware

Abstract

Technological advancements in mobile technology and cloud computing open the door for another paradigm known as Mobile Cloud Computing (MCC). This integration of cloud computing and mobile technology gives numerous facilities to a mobile user, such as the ubiquitous availability of Location Based Services (LBS). The utilization of these LBS services require the knowledge of a user's location, hence threatens the privacy of a user. In this paper we take advantages of ultra-fast processing and reliability of cloud computing and aim to solve the privacy threat issue faced by a mobile user while getting LBS services. We propose a model that utilizes a cloud based server which helps in making of a cloaking region. We highlight that how our model utilizes an untrusted cloud based server and eliminates the use of a trusted anonymizer while providing LBS services to a user securely and anonymously. © 2013 IEEE.