PEC use-case suite

The preliminary draft "Toward a PEC use-case suite (Draft)" remains open to public comments.

Abstract: This document motivates the development of a privacy-enhancing cryptography (PEC) use-case suite. This would constitute a set of proofs of concepts, showcasing the use of cryptographic tools for enabling privacy in various applications. This is not a proposal, but rather a sketch idea to motivate initial public feedback, which can be useful to determine a potential process towards a PEC use-case suite.

Keywords: cryptography, privacy; privacy-enhancing cryptography (PEC); reference material; secure multiparty computation (SMPC); zero-knowledge proof (ZKP)

Call for feedback

Privacy-enhancing cryptography (PEC) refers to cryptography used to enhance privacy, beyond the traditional sense of data confidentiality. For example, it enables sophisticated interactions that obtain a useful output of the combined information of multiple entities, although without them sharing their inputs with one another. Representative PEC techniques include secure multi-party computation, zero-knowledge proofs and searchable encryption.

Because of the advanced technical features of PEC, this field has traditionally not been covered by standardization activities. However, the state of the art is becoming more pertinent and accessible. To tap into the potential of PEC, this preliminary draft presents a sketch idea toward creating a "PEC use-case suite." The goal of the write-up is to motivate initial feedback about the idea, which intends to connect PEC tools and representative use-cases where privacy is a central point.

The intended feedback should come not only from stakeholders knowledgeable of PEC tools, but also from those knowledgeable of privacy challenges in the realm of information technology. The subsequent development of a PEC use-case suite may serve as a facilitator and reference between these problems and solutions.

If helpful, you may use the provided template for feedback.

Please send your comments until March 22, 2021, to pec-suite@nist.gov

Subsequent feedback will also be appreciated. It is expected that a followup draft version will later be posted for a new period of public comments.