Integritee AG has revealed its innovative solution for preserving privacy while transferring information across different blockchain networks.
Alain Brenzikofer, co-founder of Integritee AG, recently presented this innovative technology, which promises to redefine the way we handle sensitive data in the blockchain ecosystem, at the Sub0 event by Polkadot.
In his presentation, Alien noted the need to maintain privacy and confidentiality when transferring data between different blockchain chains.
While traditional cross-chain solutions often link information, potentially compromising the anonymity and security of users, Integritee AG has taken a different approach: unlinking.
He demonstrated this by providing an instance involving the interaction between blockchain A, which stores an individual’s identity, and a social media platform operating on blockchain B.
When the social media platform requires access to the person’s identity, it frequently carries a greater risk of transferring more information than required.
Consequently, user privacy is not safeguarded. Conventional approaches might result in the exposure of sensitive data, as the connection between these blockchains may inadvertently disclose more information than intended.
The Solution
Conversely, he noted that with Integritee AG, which leverages the unique features of the Polkadot ecosystem, specifically the Cross-Chain Messaging (XCM) protocol, privacy is more assured.
However, instead of simply passing messages horizontally between chains, Integritee AG introduces a Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) that acts as a privacy-preserving bridge.
Describing how it works, he said that when a user initiates an action on the blockchain A, providing their identity information and necessary proofs, the TEE, equipped with light clients for all relevant chains, processes this information confidentially.
The TEE then generates a storage proof and evaluates it on the target chain (blockchain B) without revealing the user’s identity. If the proof is valid, the TEE signs an extrinsic, granting the user personhood on the target chain.
He said that the key differentiator is the unlinkability of the process. Unlike traditional cross-chain methods that could lead to information leakage, Integritee AG’s approach ensures that the user’s identity remains private throughout the process. This innovative solution is currently suitable for connecting Substrate-based chains.
Security system of TEE
Additionally, the speaker said that the security of this solution relies on Intel’s Software Guard Extensions (SGX) technology, which guarantees the execution of code confidentially and with integrity.
Integritee AG follows a rigorous process, from auditing the code to providing remote attestation on its public chain, ensuring the security and trustworthiness of the TEE-based bridge.
Integritee AG not only presents this groundbreaking technology but also provides the tools and infrastructure for developers to build upon it.
Its Sidechain SDK and Oracle framework empower developers to create second-layer solutions, ensuring scalability, privacy, and interoperability.
Furthermore, Integritee AG offers a subscription service to rent Kubernetes clusters of TEEs, simplifying the process for those who require this technology without dealing with the complexities of managing the infrastructure themselves.
A Kubernetes cluster is a group of nodes (servers) that work together to run software applications that are packaged together.
Finally, Alain explained how Integritee AG’s solution can impact the advancement of cross-chain privacy. By ensuring unlinkability and leveraging TEEs, they have paved the way for more secure and private data transfer across blockchain networks.
