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authorRasmus Dahlberg <rasmus.dahlberg@kau.se>2021-05-12 16:24:05 +0200
committerRasmus Dahlberg <rasmus.dahlberg@kau.se>2021-05-12 16:24:05 +0200
commit6ab06df1cd3dca8f4367ee009dde77a7b2fb79b1 (patch)
treea235510be648c3973376149471053ee67988ea8c
parentc4a99d20dcbf524f94a018ac712d830e7e655ce2 (diff)
added a first take on claimant model
There might be a few inconsistencies and errors. To be discussed!
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+# Claimant model
+## **System<sup>CHECKSUM</sup>**:
+System<sup>CHECKSUM</sup> is about the claims made by a _data publisher_.
+* **Claim<sup>CHECKSUM</sup>**:
+ _I, data publisher, claim that the data_:
+ 1. has cryptographic hash X
+ 2. can be located using X as an identifier
+ 3. has properties Y (_"ecosystem specific_")
+* **Statement<sup>CHECKSUM</sup>**: signed checksum<br>
+* **Claimant<sup>CHECKSUM</sup>**: data publisher<br>
+ The data publisher is a party that wants to publish some data to an
+ end-user.
+* **Believer<sup>CHECKSUM</sup>**: end-user<br>
+ Belief is based on seeing a valid Statement<sup>CHECKSUM</sup>.
+* **Verifier<sup>CHECKSUM</sup>**: any interested party<br>
+ These parties try to verify the above claims. For example:
+ * the data publisher itself (_"has my identity been compromised?"_)
+ * third-parties that want to look further into the data (_"ecosystem
+ specific_")
+* **Arbiter<sup>CHECKSUM</sup>**:<br>
+ There's no official body. Invalidated claims would affect reputation.
+
+**Example.**
+The published data could be an executable binary from a reproducible build. The
+ecosystem-specific claim would be that the corresponding source code can be
+looked-up in a public database using X as an identifier. A rebuilder would
+verify this claim by compiling the source, comparing the hashed output to the
+claimed value.
+
+## **System<sup>CHECKSUM-LOG<sup>**:
+System<sup>CHECKSUM-LOG</sup> is about the claims made by a _log operator_.
+It adds _discoverability_ into System<sup>CHECKSUM</sup>. Discoverability means
+that Verifier<sup>CHECKSUM</sup> can see all Statement<sup>CHECKSUM</sup> that
+Believer<sup>CHECKSUM</sup> will accept.
+
+* **Claim<sup>CHECKSUM-LOG</sup>**:
+ _I, log operator, make available:_
+ 1. a globally consistent append-only log of Statement<sup>CHECKSUM</sup>
+* **Statement<sup>CHECKSUM-LOG</sup>**: signed tree head
+* **Claimant<sup>CHECKSUM-LOG</sup>**: log operator<br>
+ Possible operators might be:
+ * a small subset of data publishers
+ * members of relevant consortia
+* **Believer<sup>CHECKSUM-LOG</sup>**:
+ Believer<sup>CHECKSUM</sup> and
+ Verifier<sup>CHECKSUM</sup><br>
+ Belief is based on two factors:
+ 1. seeing a valid Statement<sup>CHECKSUM-LOG</sup>
+ 2. seeing a number of valid Statement<sup>CHECKSUM-WITNESS</sup> from
+ independent instances on System<sup>CHECKSUM-WITNESS</sup>
+
+ A _policy_ defines the exact conditions that must be met.
+* **Verifier<sup>CHECKSUM-LOG</sup>**: System<sup>CHECKSUM-WITNESS</sup><br>
+ Witnesses verify the log's append-only property from their own local
+ vantage point(s).
+* **Arbiter<sup>CHECKSUM-LOG</sup>**:<br>
+ There is no official body. The ecosystem at large should stop using an
+ instance of System<sup>CHECKSUM-LOG</sup> if cryptographic proofs of log
+ misbehavior are preseneted by some Verifier<sup>CHECKSUM-LOG</sup>.
+
+## **System<sup>CHECKSUM-WITNESS<sup>**:
+System<sup>CHECKSUM-WITNESS</sup> is about making the claims of a log operator
+_trustworthy_.
+* **Claim<sup>CHECKSUM-WITNESS</sup>**:
+ _I, witness, claim that_:
+ 1. System<sup>CHECKSUM-LOG</sup> provides a locally consistent append-only
+ log
+* **Statement<sup>CHECKSUM-WITNESS</sup>**: signed tree head
+* **Claimant<sup>CHECKSUM-WITNESS</sup>**: third party<br>
+ Examples of parties that may take on this role include:
+ * members of relevant consortia
+ * non-profits and other reputable organizations
+ * security enthusiasts and researchers
+ * log operators (cross-ecosystem)
+ * monitors (cross-ecosystem)
+ * a small subset of data publishers (cross-ecosystem)
+* **Believer<sup>CHECKSUM-WITNESS</sup>**:
+ Believer<sup>CHECKSUM</sup> and
+ Verifier<sup>CHECKSUM</sup><br>
+ Belief is based on seeing a valid Statement<sup>CHECKSUM-WITNESS</sup>.
+* **Verifier<sup>CHECKSUM-WITNESS</sup>**: n/a <br>
+ Witnesses are trusted parties. Security is based on _strength in numbers_.
+* **Arbiter<sup>CHECKSUM-WITNESS</sup>**:<br>
+ There is no official body. Invalidated claims would affect reputation.