Ring signature-based blockchain for guaranteeing privacy preservation in online social networks

Social network platform facilitates a potential environment in which huge amounts of information are derived from Social Networks (SNs) for attaining significant social targeting. Illegitimate disclosure of users’ private data can introduce damaging consequences and may even cause threat to life of users. Majority of the existing privacy preserving research works only handle the issues of privacy but fails in concentrating on the process of facilitating services to normal SN users that includes data access, retrieval and sharing services. Guaranteeing sensitive data security and provisioning efficient social network services to users with privacy is a herculean task. In this paper, Ring Signature-based Blockchain Mechanism (RSBM) is proposed for guaranteeing privacy preservation in OSNs. RSBM is proposed as a reliable methodology for achieving SN services and securing sensitive data by integrating the merits of public-key cryptography technique and blockchain. It is proposed with the capability of preventing potential damage to users’ interested data. RSBM is specifically proposed as a privacy preserving protocol that derives the characteristics of elliptical Curve-Inspired Ring Signature (CIRS) for ensuring complete anonymity for user identity. It specifically used consortium blockchain for recording and tracking the transactions that are carried by the users of the OSNs with maximized decentralization and reliability. The security analysis of the proposed RSBM confirms improved resistance to anonymity attacks that could be possibly launched over OSNs. It is also identified to include better advantage in concealing user identity and securing sensitive data.