D-FENCE: A Secure Storage Architecture with Authentication & Optimized Key Generation

Digital forensic systems demand strong confidentiality, integrity, and controlled access to sensitive evidence stored in cloud environments. Traditional centralized storage architectures are vulnerable to unauthorized access, key compromise, and audit manipulation. This paper proposes D-FENCE, a secure storage architecture integrating multi-level authentication, optimized key generation, and advanced encryption mechanisms for digital forensic data protection. The proposed system employs an Enhanced Equilibrium Optimizer (EEO) for optimal cryptographic key generation, combined with multi-key homomorphic encryption to ensure secure data storage and computation. Authentication is strengthened using layered access control and audit-driven verification mechanisms. Experimental observations from the implemented prototype indicate improved security, controlled access, and reliable encryption performance with minimal computational overhead. The proposed architecture is suitable for secure forensic evidence storage and cloud-based investigative applications.