Enigma – Data Privacy with Decentralized Computing
Enigma – Data Privacy with Decentralized Computing | Blockchain
History of Enigma Machine
Introduction
Enigma is a decentralized computing platform with guaranteed data privacy in a peer-to- peer network storage without trusted third party. It uses secure multi-party computation or multi-party computation (sMPC or MPC), computation of data queries is distributed and data is split into different nodes and computed using function together without leakage of any data to other nodes. In blockchain data are replicated as every data is stored in each node but in enigma computation and data are not stored in each node of network.
Enigma has a table feature of running and computing data without accessing the raw data itself. For example, in a group if you need to analyze the income then you can process computing but you cannot find the actual income of any member of the group.
Overview
Enigma is not used alone. It is designed to connect with existing blockchain and intensive computation and off-load private to off-chain network.
Issues that were not solved by blockchain are solved by off-chain network are :
Storage:
Blockchain is not used as general-purpose database. Blockchain can access decentralized off-chain distributed hash-table(orDHT) of enigma, which stores the references to data not of data. Before storage we need to encrypt private data and access control protocol are programmed in blockchain. These features are available in enigma as a simple APIs in the form of script language.
Privacy enforcing computing:
Enigma can compute data without leaking of raw data to any nodes which is not available in blockchain. Business logics can be secured in this due to such feature.
Heavy Processing:
Blockchain fails for heavy and complex transaction where as enigma can do heavy processing due to off-chain computational network.
Off-Chain Storage
A Distributed database is constructed by Off-Chain nodes. The computation process preserve privacy and is fault tolerant as nodes have distinct view of shares and encrypted data. It also stores large size of unencrypted data and link it to blockchain.
On network level, distributed data storage is based on modified Kademlia DHT protocol with secure point-to-point channels and added persistence, public key encryption and simulated using broadcast channel.
Secure Multi-party computation
It has the ability to enable privacy, correctness, Hierarchical secure MPC, Network reduction, Adaptable circuits, Scripting, Private data types and Data access.
Blockchain interoperability
In this part we will know about how enigma interoperate with the blockchain. Like how to complex identities are formed using digital signature, which is automatically compactible with blockchain. After that how key network are linked and computation is performed in blockchain. Steps carried out in this process are Identity Management, Link Protocols, Access Control, Store and Load, and Share and Compute.
Applications of Enigma
Data Marketplace:
Now days data and information are most powerful thing. Anyone can earn by selling data. So, to keep secure data from places like hospitals, workplace etc. This will be most beneficial for secure storage of data.
Secure Backend:
Many companies store data of customer in their server, which can be accessed by some means or hacking. If data is secured by using enigma you can process data and can have required analysis without accessing privacy of any costumers.
Internal Compartmentation:
Organization can use enigma to encrypt data and trade secrets from the rough employee. Organization can analyze the data for company in secure way and still protect it from bad people. It makes work robust and secure.
N-factor Authentication:
Biometrics security can be stored and computed in enigma for the user who has access to data. And required key can be added in the system for unauthorized access of data.
Identity:
Secure storing identity and authenticating in a fully anonymously require little amount of code in enigma. When the user tries to log in a simple private contract is executed, validating the real user and linking real identity using public pseudo identity. The process is trustful and preserve privacy.
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