Pseudonymous Data Exchange via Non-Trusted Server
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems face challenges in balancing user privacy and accountability in collaborative applications, where users need to contribute data anonymously while ensuring reimbursement without revealing their identity.
Innovation Solution
A non-trusted server platform allows data producers to submit pseudonymous, encrypted data, with authenticated consumers requesting access, enabling reimbursement without linking it to the producer's identity, using pseudonymous identifiers and secure encryption to maintain privacy and accountability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If users contribute data with full identity disclosure to ensure accountability, then reimbursement can be accurately directed, but user privacy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the user identity into multiple components: public key identifiers, pseudonymous data producer identifiers, and private personal information. The public key and pseudonym are shared for accountability and reimbursement, while the private personal information remains hidden, thus resolving the contradiction between accountability and privacy preservation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a pseudonymous data producer identifier as an intermediary between the user's real identity and the data contribution. This intermediary enables accountability tracking and reimbursement while preventing direct linkage to the user's personal information, thus maintaining both accountability and privacy.
2Loss of information
If users contribute data anonymously to preserve privacy, then privacy is maintained, but accountability for reimbursement cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The accountability mechanism is segmented from the personal identity. The system uses public keys and pseudonymous identifiers that enable tracking of data contributions and reimbursement without revealing personal information. This segmentation allows anonymity while maintaining accountability through cryptographic proof of contribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces traditional mechanical identity verification (sharing personal information) with cryptographic mechanisms. Public key cryptography and digital signatures enable accountability verification without exposing personal identity, thus maintaining both privacy and accountability.
3Reliability
If a centralized entity is used to exchange data securely, then secure data exchange is achieved, but the entity must trust the centralized system which compromises decentralization
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a lightweight intermediary (the server platform) that facilitates data exchange without requiring trust. The intermediary only handles encrypted data and public key information, never accessing or decrypting personal information. This reduces the complexity and trust requirements compared to traditional centralized systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces trust-based security mechanisms with cryptographic security. Instead of relying on the centralized entity to be trustworthy, the system uses encryption, digital signatures, and public key infrastructure to guarantee security, eliminating the need for trusting the intermediary.
4Reliability
If reimbursement is directly linked to specific data contributions, then accurate reimbursement is achieved, but the link can be used to identify the data producer compromising privacy
Solution Approach 1:
The reimbursement system is segmented from the personal identity. Reimbursement is linked to pseudonymous data producer identifiers and public keys rather than personal information. This allows accurate tracking of data contributions for reimbursement purposes while preventing identification of the underlying individual.
Solution Approach 2:
The pseudonymous data producer identifier serves as an intermediary between the data contribution and the reimbursement. It enables accurate linking of reimbursement to specific contributions while acting as a privacy-protecting barrier that prevents direct identification of the data producer.
Data Source
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AI summary
A computer implemented method, computer program product, server and clients for preserving privacy and accountability. The server receives from a first client computer pseudonymous, encrypted data and stores the pseudonymous, encrypted data. The -server further receives from a second client computer a data request for the pseudonymous, encrypted data and provides the pseudonymous, encrypted data to the second client computer in response to the data request. The server receives from the second client computer a signed key request for at least one key, wherein the at least one key is configured to decrypt the pseudonymous, encrypted data and wherein the signed key request comprises a public key of the second client computer. The server receives from the first client computer the at least one key, wherein the at least one key is encrypted with the public key of the second client computer and provides the at least one encrypted key to the second client computer in response to the signed key request.