Enigma: Decentralized Computation Platform with Guaranteed Privacy

TL;DR

Enigma is a decentralized platform that enables private, secure computation and data sharing among parties without trusted third parties, utilizing secure multi-party computation, blockchain, and cryptographic techniques.

Contribution

It introduces a novel decentralized computation platform combining secure multi-party computation with blockchain for privacy-preserving data sharing.

Findings

Supports private joint data storage and computation

Uses verifiable secret-sharing for security guarantees

Operates without trusted third parties, ensuring user privacy

Abstract

A peer-to-peer network, enabling different parties to jointly store and run computations on data while keeping the data completely private. Enigma's computational model is based on a highly optimized version of secure multi-party computation, guaranteed by a verifiable secret-sharing scheme. For storage, we use a modified distributed hashtable for holding secret-shared data. An external blockchain is utilized as the controller of the network, manages access control, identities and serves as a tamper-proof log of events. Security deposits and fees incentivize operation, correctness and fairness of the system. Similar to Bitcoin, Enigma removes the need for a trusted third party, enabling autonomous control of personal data. For the first time, users are able to share their data with cryptographic guarantees regarding their privacy.