Secure Multiparty Computation and Applications

Abstract. In this presentation, we look at threshold cryptography through the lens of secure multiparty computation (MPC), and its applications and potency as a solution to many privacy and security problems, and finally we present recent MPC based solutions for privacy-preserving analytics. MPC has been a core area of cryptography since its inception. MPC protocols enable multiple mutually distrusting parties to compute any functions on their private inputs without ever revealing their private inputs to each other. MPC decentralizes trust, resulting in more security and resilience to threats. Most importantly, MPC protects privacy while supporting computation on data.MPC protocols are very powerful and known to provide solutions to problems: notably, solutions include threshold signatures, zero-knowledge proofs/arguments, secure aggregates/analytics, secure/anonymous communication, key exchange protocols, and so on.We will review some of the application areas where there is active development using MPC (e.g., Ad Conversion, Fraud Prevention), and contrast MPC with other privacy-enhancing technologies. We will provide a brief overview of work by Stealth on practical applications of MPC protocols, including an in-depth look at a recent project where the Stealth team developed a tailored MPC protocol to enable a secure and data-private analytics query-response system in a pilot project with Virginia Longitudinal Data System (VLDS).

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