A Private and Unlinkable Message Exchange Using a Public bulletin board in Opportunistic Networks

TL;DR

This paper proposes a protocol using a Public bulletin board and Mix networks to enable private, unlinkable message exchanges in Opportunistic networks, enhancing privacy and metadata protection in messaging systems.

Contribution

It introduces a novel asynchronous unidirectional message transmission protocol that ensures unlinkability and privacy in Opportunistic networks using a Public bulletin board.

Findings

Protocol guarantees unlinkable communication with acceptable performance

Simulation demonstrates effectiveness in hiding metadata in messaging apps

Enhances privacy by protecting social graph in messengers like WhatsApp

Abstract

We plan to simulate a private and unlinkable exchange of messages by using a Public bulletin board and Mix networks in Opportunistic networks. This Opportunistic network uses a secure and privacy-friendly asynchronous unidirectional message transmission protocol. By using this protocol, we create a Public bulletin board in a network that makes individuals send or receive events unlinkable to one another . With the design of a Public bulletin board in an Opportunistic network, the clients can use the benefits of this Public bulletin board in a safe environment. When this Opportunistic network uses the protocol, it can guarantee an unlinkable communication based on the Mix networks. The protocol can work with the Public bulletin board exclusively with acceptable performance. Also, this simulation can be used for hiding metadata in the bidirectional message exchange in some messengers such as WhatsApp. As we know, one of the main goals of a messenger like WhatsApp is to protect the social graph. By using this protocol, a messenger can protect social graph and a central Public bulletin board.