On (Im)possibility of Network Oblivious Transfer via Noisy Channels and Non-Signaling Correlations

TL;DR

This paper explores the fundamental limitations of implementing network oblivious transfer using noisy channels and non-signaling correlations, showing that perfect security is impossible and negligible leakage cannot be achieved asymptotically.

Contribution

It introduces a unified framework modeling tripartite non-signaling correlations and proves the impossibility of perfect oblivious transfer in this setting.

Findings

Perfect oblivious transfer is impossible.

Negligible leakage cannot be achieved asymptotically.

Receiver privacy is not universally limited.

Abstract

This work investigates the fundamental limits of implementing network oblivious transfer via noisy multiple access channels and broadcast channels between honest-but-curious parties when the parties have access to general tripartite non-signaling correlations. By modeling the shared resource as an arbitrary tripartite non-signaling box, we obtain a unified perspective on both the channel behavior and the resulting correlations. Our main result demonstrates that perfect oblivious transfer is impossible. In the asymptotic regime, we further show that even negligible leakage cannot be achieved, as repeated use of the resource amplifies the receiver(s)'s ability to distinguish messages that were not intended for him/them. In contrast, the receiver(s)'s own privacy is not subject to a universal impossibility limitation.