Can Worldcoin enhance security through multi-party secure computation and iris verification to reduce external doubts?

The Worldcoin Foundation has introduced a new Secure Multiparty Computation (SMPC) or MPC mechanism for iris verification process, aiming to enhance the security of verifying iris uniqueness. This implementation is expected to further reduce privacy and security concerns from external sources. Read more.

Background: Secure Multiparty Computation

Secure Multiparty Computation (SMPC) is a privacy-enhancing encryption technology that allows for the privacy of input data while performing the necessary computations. For example, two wealthy individuals do not need to disclose their total assets, but they can compare who has more assets through this technology.

Another concrete example is calculating the average salary of a team without revealing individual salaries. Each team member can use the SMPC function to input salary data securely and privately, ultimately calculating the result.

Secure Multiparty Computation has long been applied in blockchain wallet management. For instance, managing large funds in a multi-signature wallet can involve using SMPC to calculate multiple private keys. Holders of the private keys do not need to disclose or should not disclose the keys when using the wallet assets or signing transactions, yet multiple verifications can be conducted for wallet operations.

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Worldcoin Introduces SMPC Mechanism

Worldcoin collaborates with TACEO to apply Secure Multiparty Computation technology to users' iris information, optimizing the existing iris code verification system. The team states that this move will enhance the privacy and security level of biometric information.

Existing Iris Verification Method

The current identity verification process of Worldcoin is as follows:

1. Use Orb to scan the iris of the individual to be identified and process the image.
2. Analyze the feature information to generate Iris codes.
3. Analyze these Iris codes with other encrypted Iris codes to calculate Hamming distance to ensure uniqueness.
4. Use anti-fraud analysis to ensure the iris image is not forged.
5. Upon successful verification, verify the user's World ID using Iris codes, encrypt the Iris codes, and upload them to the cloud.
6. Delete the user's iris image from Orb.

For more information, refer to this article:

Using SMPC to Verify Iris Uniqueness

The update optimizes the process of comparing Iris codes by applying SMPC technology, allowing the encrypted Iris codes stored in various databases to have higher privacy.

When a verification device, possibly Orb, sends a verification request, it sends codes to each participant. Participants calculate the Hamming distance based on their encrypted portion of Iris codes and send the results back to the initiator, combining the results to make the final determination.

The previous uniqueness checking system will be disabled and removed.

All for Enhancing Data Security

Worldcoin's update undoubtedly aims to enhance the security of user iris data. The team had previously open-sourced the specifications of Orb hardware and software, indicating their technical efforts. However, they still face strict scrutiny and criticism from the market and various sectors, with many countries challenging Worldcoin over privacy concerns related to this verification mechanism.

Hong Kong Privacy Commissioner investigates Worldcoin for collecting iris data in violation of privacy laws.

Worldcoin continues to face significant challenges in the future. Regardless of how much technological progress and safeguards are in place, it may not be easily understood or accepted by the general public. After perfecting the technical basics, considering how to make various sectors feel truly secure will be an equally important issue.

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