Showing credentials without identification. Signatures transferred between unconditionally unlinkable pseudonyms

  • Authors:
  • D Chaum

  • Affiliations:
  • -

  • Venue:
  • Proc. of a workshop on the theory and application of cryptographic techniques on Advances in cryptology---EUROCRYPT '85
  • Year:
  • 1986

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Abstract

It is becoming increasingly easy and common for organizations to routinely exchange data on individuals. Because each individual provides most organizations essentially the same uniquely identifying information, such, as social security number, or name, age and place of birth, the records held by one organization on an individual are readily matched or linked with those held by other organizations. Thus, organizations are capable of exchanging information about individuals whenever and to whatever extent they choose. Clearly some such transfers of information are quite useful and beneficial to society. The problems stem from the inability of anyone, particularly the individuals whose data is involved, to control or even effectively monitor such transfers. These problems were not present in completely paper based systems, where the transfer of information about an individual was only through credential documents issued to the individual by one organization and shown by the individual to other organizations.