In the fast-paced world of digital assets and decentralized networks, security has become a major concern for individuals and organizations alike. Nillion, a revolutionary network, addresses these concerns by providing advanced security features that make it almost impossible for bad actors to compromise user data. In this blog post, we'll dive into the various security aspects of Nillion, including Information-Theoretic Security (ITS), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), and the ways Nillion combats passive and active adversaries.
1 - Information-Theoretic Security (ITS): Unbreakable Encryption
The ITS utilized by Nillion offers cryptoanalytically unbreakable security. By distributing T+1 shares to reconstruct a blinding factor, hackers attempting to access T or less NMC Nodes will not have enough information to uncover a secret, regardless of their computational power. This practically eliminates the possibility of a large-scale coordinated attack to unveil sensitive data, making the network cryptoanalytically unbreakable.
2 - Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Shielding Against Impersonation
Nillion employs MFA to protect users from front door attacks, such as impersonation. Users can set various forms of MFA, including passwords, biometrics, and geographic location. The option to require multi-signature MFAs from multiple individuals further reduces the risk of impersonation, as authentication from more than one person is needed to access the data. This ensures different degrees of MFA security, depending on the sensitivity and value of the data stored in Nillion.
3 - Defending Against Passive and Active Adversaries
Nillion is designed to protect against both passive and active adversaries. Passive adversaries are malicious nodes that follow the protocol while attempting to uncover confidential data. Nillion's Information-Theoretic Secure nature prevents any individual node from having enough information to unmask or reconstruct the data it partially holds, providing security against passive adversaries.
Active adversaries, on the other hand, deviate from the protocol and provide incorrect answers to computations. Nillion combats this issue by using error correction and message authentication codes (MACs) to detect when NMC nodes become active adversaries. As a result, the network remains secure and functional as long as less than ⅓ of the nodes are malicious.
4 - Byzantine and Broadcast Setups: Balancing Security and Redundancy
Nillion offers two information security setups: Byzantine and Broadcast. The Byzantine setup provides network security with less than ⅓ of the nodes being bad actors and offers higher redundancy. The Broadcast setup, however, requires only ½ of the nodes to be hostile for a successful coordinated attack, providing a higher security level but posing a greater risk if too many nodes leave the network.
5 - Firewall Attacks: Assessing Improbability and Countermeasures
Firewall attacks, while highly improbable, could potentially prevent nodes from successfully communicating with each other. Nillion has the flexibility to choose between Byzantine and Broadcast setups to mitigate firewall attack risks. The choice depends on whether to prioritize less security but account for firewalls or opt for more security without considering firewall attacks.
As you already got, Nillion's advanced security features, such as Information-Theoretic Security, Multi-Factor Authentication, and robust defense mechanisms against passive and active adversaries, make it an ideal solution for protecting sensitive data in the digital realm. The choice between Byzantine and Broadcast setups offers the flexibility to balance security and redundancy based on specific needs. By embracing Nillion's cutting-edge security technology, users can confidently navigate the world of digital assets with peace of mind.