Blockchain Packet Propagation via Random Relay for Anonymity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Blockchain networks are vulnerable to de-anonymization attacks through traffic analysis, compromising the anonymity of transactions by linking user IP addresses with network activity.
Innovation Solution
The Diffusion Mixer Protocol (DMP) employs a two-stage process: Random Differential Relay (RDR) and Standard Diffusion, where nodes randomly delay and diversely distribute transactions to obfuscate source nodes, making it difficult for attackers to reconstruct network topology.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If nodes relay transactions directly to peer nodes in a blockchain network, then transaction propagation speed is improved, but network topology and user IP addresses can be reconstructed through traffic analysis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a relay node as an intermediary between transaction source nodes and peer nodes. The relay node receives transactions from multiple sources, buffers them, and forwards them to multiple peers. This intermediary layer breaks the direct connection between source and peer, preventing traffic analysis from reconstructing network topology while maintaining efficient transaction propagation through the relay node's distributed forwarding capability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If nodes buffer and randomly relay transactions to multiple peers, then network anonymity is improved, but transaction propagation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The relay node buffers incoming transactions and forwards them to multiple peers simultaneously rather than sequentially. By implementing parallel forwarding to multiple peers at once, the system achieves enhanced anonymity through diversified routing while minimizing the time penalty that would result from sequential processing. This partial buffering approach balances anonymity requirements with propagation speed.
3Productivity
If a relay node forwards transactions to all connected peers, then transaction distribution is improved, but network traffic load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The relay node implements selective forwarding by maintaining state information about which peers have already received specific transactions. Instead of uniformly forwarding to all connected peers, the node adapts its forwarding behavior based on local knowledge of peer reception status. This local quality adjustment optimizes transaction distribution by avoiding redundant transmissions while maintaining efficient propagation to nodes that need the transactions.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are presented for a method of propagating data packets in a network of nodes. The method includes: generating at least one data packet of a first type; collecting a set of first data packets of the first type during a first time period the set including at least one data packet received from one or more other nodes in the network; arbitrarily selecting a subset of entry nodes to the first node to which a subset of the collected and generated data packets will be forwarded to; and transmitting the data packets to the subset of arbitrarily selected entry nodes.