BLOCKCHAIN-ENABLED SECURE DATA SHARING IN CLOUD COMPUTING: OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES, AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

Cloud computing has revolutionized data storage and computing services by providing scalable, cost-effective, and on-demand resources to organizations and individuals. However, concerns related to data security, privacy, integrity, and unauthorized access remain significant barriers to widespread cloud adoption. Blockchain technology, with its decentralized and tamper-resistant architecture, offers promising solutions to address these challenges. This paper explores the integration of blockchain with cloud computing for secure data sharing, highlighting its architecture, advantages, applications, challenges, and future research directions. The study also compares blockchain-based cloud systems with traditional cloud security models and discusses emerging trends such as smart contracts, decentralized identity management, and blockchain-enabled access control. The findings suggest that blockchain can significantly enhance trust, transparency, and security in cloud computing environments while introducing new opportunities for decentralized data management.