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Glossary

Information-theoretic security (ITS)​

Information-theoretic security is a measure of security that doesn't depend on computational hardness assumptions. ITS guarantees security even against adversaries with unlimited computational power. This type of security is achieved by ensuring that the information required to break the encryption is not present in the ciphertext. A classic example of ITS is a one-time pad cipher, which is provably unbreakable as long as the key is truly random, never reused, and kept secret.

Linear Secret Sharing Scheme (LSSS)​

A Linear Secret Sharing Scheme is a cryptography method where a secret is divided into multiple parts, known as shares. These shares are distributed among participants in such a way that only specific groups of shares can reconstruct the secret. The key property of LSSS is linearity, meaning that any linear combination of valid shares forms another valid share. This allows for flexibility in constructing access structures, determining which sets of participants can together reconstruct the secret.

Local Protocol​

A Local Protocol is a cryptographic operation performed by nodes during the calculation of a program without the need for communication between them.

Masked factors​

Masked factors are the protective factors in the Sum of Products. Masked factors are the one-time mask raised to the power of the masked exponent multiplied by the factor.

One-time mask​

The one-time mask is the multiplicative mask that protects a factor.

Online Protocol​

An Online Protocol is a cryptographic operation performed by nodes during the calculation of a program in which the communication between them is necessary for correct completion.

Preprocessing Elements​

Preprocessing refers to a computation that is executed before one is given the inputs to a certain computation task. Preprocessing can be used to speed up some cryptographic systems but also to speed up cryptanalytic attacks. In the case of Nillion preprocessing is used to improve the performance of the execution of online protocols.

Each online protocol requires a different amount and type of preprocessing elements. A "preprocessing service" inside each node is responsible for calculating these preprocessing elements and makes them available to the Nillion VM. The "preprocessing service" will try to make sure that there are enough available preprocessing elements in the node at any time.

Computing these preprocessing elements usually requires an MPC protocol. This is because there needs to be some synchronisation in the way these elements are created and used by the nodes.

Privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs)​

Privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) are technologies that embody fundamental data protection principles by minimizing personal data use, maximizing data security, and empowering individuals.

Share​

The share is the result that a node obtains by multiplying all the masked factors, and adding up all the products of those masked factors using the sum-of-products expression shape.

Sum of Products (SoP)​

Sum of Products is a mathematical expression of addition of several numbers that have been multiplied.

# Example of a Sum of Products
(a * b) + (c * d)

Any computation can be transformed into a sum of products:

# Example of a polynomial computation
x^2 + 2xy + y^2

# Transformation to a sum of products
(x * x) + (2 * x * y) + (y * y)

Sum of Products (SoP) - Factors and Terms ​

  • Terms: In SoP, a term is a product of factors that are multiplied together. In the example SoP, the terms are (a * b) and (c * d). Each term represents a multiplication operation between its factors.
  • Factor: Factors are the individual elements that are multiplied together within a term. In the example SoP, a and b are factors in the (a*b) term. c and d are factors in the (c*d) term. They are the basic building blocks of a term.