Author: Peter Todd 2014-01-24 16:13:30
Published on: 2014-01-24T16:13:30+00:00
The discussion is about the use of prefix in blockchain payments and its effect on network flow analysis. The term "prefix" is used for both prefix filters and the act of forcing a scriptPubKey to match some given prefix. It is suggested to call the latter concept 'wallet clustering'. Clustering schemes make network flow analysis easier for attackers who only have blockchain data but harder for those with query logs from attackers running nodes. Reusable addresses are cool for full node recipients or trusted server offload, but it would be nice if they could be made SPV-like in network characteristics and privacy. There is no plausible mechanism yet. Efficient crypto can solve this problem, but it is hard to find. People want miners to commit to various types of indexes, which requires a soft-fork. Payment protocol may add another level of identity framework on top of TOFU addresses, without needing a batch upload of offline signed secondary address signature. OpenPGP + bitcoin address UID ideas can mesh with TOFU.
Updated on: 2023-06-08T00:14:21.073627+00:00