Designing a Trust Evaluation Method for Resource Sharing among Enterprises

摘要

Virtual enterprise (VE) is a network of independent, geographically dispersed administrative business domains that cooperate by sharing business processes and resources across enterprises to provide a value-added service to customers. Hence, the success of a VE relies on full information transparency and correct resource sharing, from which, security and trust among subjects are of priority concern. Resource sharing and trust evaluation are most complicated in a VE involving cross-organizational activities. This investigation develops a trust evaluation method for secure resource sharing across enterprises and VEs. A Virtual Enterprise Access Control (VEAC) Model, which was developed to enable resource sharing for collaborative operations in the VE, is introduced. A scenario for authentication and authorization in life cycle of a VE is then described to identify the main activities for controlling access. Third, this study presents a trust evaluation method based on the VEAC model to enhance its security while protecting sensitive resources for supporting collaborative activities.