As blockchain rapidly evolves, security concerns have become increasingly prominent due to increased theft incidents. The application of encryption technology is gradually being integrated into blockchain projects. This article explores Signal encryption technology and reflects on its future applications in blockchain.
Signal is a private communication platform, with Signal Protocol serving as its encryption protocol.
Signal Protocol is an end-to-end encrypted communication protocol known for its extremely high security. It has earned a reputation as one of the most secure communication protocols globally. Fundamentally, it utilizes end-to-end encryption, ensuring that only the receiver can decrypt messages. Even Signal itself cannot view or store message content.
Signal Concept
End-to-end encryption: Prevents servers from viewing communication messages between users.
Forward secrecy: Even if a key got leaked at some point, attackers cannot decrypt previous messages.
Backward secrecy: Even if a key is leaked at some point, attackers cannot derive future message keys to decrypt upcoming messages.
Advantages of Signal technology
Data non-retention: Signal consistently uses end-to-end encryption, ensuring messages, calls, groups, and files are not stored on Signal servers. Therefore, Signal does not retain data for itself or any other party to view.
Open-source software: Signal is open-source, allowing scrutiny of its code to confirm its security while encouraging other developers to contribute and enhance it.
Privacy masking techniques: Signal provides various privacy techniques, such as “Sealed Sender,” to conceal message senders’ identities and ensure only recipients can read their content.
Two-factor authentication: Signal also offers a two-factor authentication-based account setting option to ensure credentials and device information have additional protection against being hijacked by attackers.
We discuss the relationship between encryption technology and blockchain based on the example of the Signal communication platform.
Decentralization
The core of blockchain advancement lies in achieving serverless chat processes. That is, user-to-user chats are relayed by decentralized nodes worldwide, altogether abandoning older centralized server models. Implementing this solution will significantly enhance SIGNAL’s chat efficiency and privacy security. At the same time, introducing relay node mining will completely resolve the energy consumption issues in the blockchain mining industry.
Asymmetric encryption
Additionally, asymmetric encryption is a crucial technological foundation for blockchain. But, asymmetric encryption encrypts plaintext into ciphertext using a key, and even with the key, it is impossible to deduce the plaintext from the ciphertext. Signal’s encrypted messaging feature fully utilizes asymmetric encryption technology. As users establish chat relationships, they generate keys known only to each other’s devices using timestamps, ensuring 100% privacy of chat content.
Proof-of-Delivery (POD) Consensus Mechanism
Despite endless project iterations, achieving consensus has always aimed to optimize blockchain consensus mechanisms. Bitcoin uses Proof of Work, while subsequent platforms like Ethereum and EOS introduced Proof of Stake and Delegated Proof of Stake, respectively. In essence, the consensus mechanism dictates the rules for mining and accounting. For the first time globally, SIGNAL introduces the Proof-of-Delivery (POD) consensus mechanism. Miners provide relay services for SIGNAL APP users’ chat content using device and bandwidth resources and receive corresponding rewards based on traffic. This marks the first time miners become actual contributors rather than energy consumers in blockchain history.
MPC Technology
In addition to Signal encryption technology, Multi-Party Computation (MPC) technology holds an intriguing perspective on blockchain development. MPC is a secure computing technology that allows multiple participants to perform calculations without exposing confidential inputs. While end-to-end encryption in Signal guarantees message privacy, in certain scenarios, users may need to perform specific calculations while protecting privacy, such as voting and sharing bills in group chats.
We observe a lack of consideration on client and server interface in the cryptocurrency world. When discussing blockchain, people often talk about distributed trust, leaderless consensus, and all the mechanisms at work. Still, they frequently overlook the reality that the client ultimately cannot participate in these mechanisms. All network diagrams are on the server’s side, trust models are between servers, and everything is server-centric. Although blockchain is designed as a peer-to-peer network, it is not intended to allow your mobile device or browser to become one of these nodes.
Network architectures must anticipate and accept the inevitable result of the relatively centralized relationship between clients and servers while using cryptography (rather than infrastructure) to achieve distributed trust. This can be leveraged through Signal Protocol, elevating user participation to a new level, enabling them to directly participate in network operation and decision-making rather than passively relying on centralized servers. Additionally, asymmetric encryption technology provides users with higher data security, safeguarding the confidentiality of communication content and user privacy.
CipherLab fully utilizes MPC technology to provide secure asset management and is dedicated to leveraging various cryptographic theories in the blockchain field to create the most outstanding products. Our research focuses on the security of encryption technology and how to apply it to practical blockchain scenarios, providing users with secure and efficient solutions.
About CipherBC
CipherBC stands as a market leader in digital asset custody and payment solutions. Catering to businesses seeking a secure and efficient transition to Web3 transformation, ensuring the security of assets and We are committed to the mission of “ fostering financial freedom.” In line with this objective, we provide asset owners with a complete range of services, encompassing asset custody, merchant payments, clearing and other financial services.