Quantifying and Measuring Anonymity

10 years 1 days ago

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Abstract. The design of anonymous communication systems is a relatively new ﬁeld, but the desire to quantify the security these systems oﬀer has been an important topic of research since its beginning. In recent years, anonymous communication systems have evolved from obscure tools used by specialists to mass-market software used by millions of people. In many cases the users of these tools are depending on the anonymity oﬀered to protect their liberty, or more. As such, it is of critical importance that not only can we quantify the anonymity these tools oﬀer, but that the metrics used represent realistic expectations, can be communicated clearly, and the implementations actually oﬀer the anonymity they promise. This paper will discuss how metrics, and the techniques used to measure them, have been developed for anonymous communication tools including low-latency networks and high-latency email systems.

Steven J. Murdoch

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