Skip to main content

FrodoPIR: New Privacy-Focused Database Querying System.



The developers behind the Brave open-source web browser have revealed a new privacy-preserving data querying and retrieval system called FrodoPIR.


The idea, the company said, is to use the technology to build out a wide range of use cases such as safe browsing, scanning passwords against breached databases, certificate revocation checks, and streaming, among others.


The scheme is called FrodoPIR because "the client can perform hidden queries to the server, just as Frodo remained hidden from Sauron," a reference to the characters from J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.


PIR, short for private information retrieval, is a cryptographic protocol that enables users (aka clients) to retrieve a piece of information from a database server without revealing to its owner which element was selected.


CyberSecurity

In other words, the goal is to be able to query a platform for information (say, cooking videos) without letting the service provider infer from a user's search history to offer personalized recommendations or targeted ads based on the search criteria.


One way this is achieved is by using an approach called homomorphic encryption, which allows computation to be performed directly on enciphered data without requiring access to a private key.


But a common problem afflicting such methods is that they are "expensive in terms of either bandwidth, or in the amount of time taken to process each client query," making them prohibitive for real-world deployments.



That's where FrodoPIR steps in. It involves two phases, an offline preparatory step and an online step wherein the client transmits encrypted queries to the server.


The server subsequently opts to return a positive or negative value depending on whether or not the query is found in the database without learning what the user is actually querying for.


"In terms of performance for a database of 1 million KB elements, FrodoPIR requires <1 second for responding to a client query, has a server response size blow-up factor of > 3.6x, and financial costs are ~$1 for answering client queries," Brave said in a GitHub description of the project.


Google Open Sources Two Privacy-Enhancing Technologies (PETs) #

The development comes as Google said it's open-sourcing two privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) as part of its ongoing efforts to democratize access to techniques beyond Federated Learning and Differential Privacy.


This consists of a new machine learning tool called Magritte that's designed to blur objects like license plates present in videos, as well as efficiency improvements to its Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) Transpiler.


The transpiler, aka source-to-source compiler or translator, is designed to run computation-based queries on encrypted information sans any access to personally identifiable data.


The PETs "will provide the broader developer community (researchers, governments, nonprofits, businesses and more) new ways to deploy and enhance privacy features in their own work," Google noted.


Source; THN.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Escaped Murder Suspect Finally Arrested in Yumbe Regional Referral Hospital, Yumbe District.

Story by Osuta Yusuf. 19-November-2024. 📸: Eyotre Kennedy handcuffed on bed while receiving medication this morning at Yumbe Regional Referral Hospital in Yumbe District. Eyotre Kennedy originating from Etoko village, Nyoroo Parish, Nyadri Sub-county in Maracha District who has for many years been terrorizing residents in his village, has finally been arrested this Monday morning 19-November-2024 while receiving treatment at Yumbe Regional Referral Hospital in Yumbe District following injuries he sustained from Theft mission on Saturday night 16-November-2024 in Owapi village, Azapi parish in Odupi Sub-county, Terego East Constituency in Terego District. Click here on the link  https://informationispowah.blogspot.com/2024/11/fugitive-who-chopped-3-people-killed.html   to read the story on his Theft of Goats in Terego. Upon getting cut on the finger and leg by the Mob as he attempted to fight and overpower owner of the goats he attempted to steal on Saturday night ...

41-Years-Old Man Digs His Own Grave in Maracha District.

Story by Osuta Yusuf.  Maracha District.  📸: The grave been dug by Mr Opiga Michael, a victim of frustration. Photo taken by Osuta Yusuf , on Wednesday 11-September-2024. The residents of Ebapi village, Baria Parish in Nyadri Sub-county, Maracha east constituency, Maracha District are in shock after a 41 year old man started digging his own grave. The man, identified as Mr Opiga Michael, who seems to be frustrated over some challenges in life, started digging his own grave on Tuesday 10-September-2024 until he was stopped by the elders in Nyaria clan. 📸: Opiga Michael, the Victim of Frustration. Photo by Osuta Yusuf , Information is Power. While speaking to our reporter on Wednesday evening 11-September-2024, Mr Opiga Michael, said, his main plan  was to commit suicide after finishing digging the grave for burying himself, explained that, he feels frustrated, abandoned and hated by his own clan people, whom he accused of piling lies against him a...

Wedded Ayivu West MP Lematia John Fights Over Another Woman.

  📸: Hon Lematia John. By URN. Police in Arua district are investigating a case of assault and threatening violence involving the Member of Parliament for Ayivu West Constituency John Lematia and James Ariko, a DSTV technician in Arua city. Drama ensued on Easter Sunday 31-3-2024 at Dream Land Hotel located at Kuluva trading center along Arua-Nebbi highway in Arua district when the legislator and the technician engaged in a fight reportedly over a woman identified as Faith Eyotaru 25, a relationship officer at Victoria University Kampala. The scuffle started after Ayivu West Mp John Lematia went to swim at Dreamland Hotel with Faith Eyotaru only to find Ariko, who had gone to the same hotel earlier. However, upon seeing the duo coming out of the vehicle, Ariko confronted Lematia with both men claiming to be having a relationship with the lady. It took the intervention of the staff at the hotel who intervened and separated the fight between the men. Josephine Angucia, the West Nil...