Linkability estimation between subjects and message contents using formal concepts

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we examine how conclusions about linkability threats can be drawn by analyzing message contents and subject knowledge in arbitrary communication systems. At first, we define messages described by their contents as formal contexts. Then, we define subjects described by their knowledge as further formal contexts. Finally, we show that concept lattices, which are achieved by applying Formal Concept Analysis to the concatenation of these formal contexts, can be used in order to draw conclusions about correlations, and therefore linkability, between contents of messages and knowledge of subjects. The goal is to define formal specifications which can be utilized in privacy enhancing identity management systems in order to support users in the choice of data items which are to be disclosed to a communication partner.

REFERENCES

• 1: P. Becker, J. Hereth, and G. Stumme. ToscanaJ: An open source tool for qualitative data analysis. In V. Duquenne, B. Ganter, M. Liquiere, E. M. Nguifo, and G. Stumme, editors, Advances in Formal Concept Analysis for Knowledge Discovery in Databases. Proc. Workshop FCAKDD of the 15th European Conference on Artificial Intelligence (ECAI 2002). Lyon, France., July 23 2002.
• 2: S. Berthold. Linkability of communication contents: Keeping track of disclosed data using formal concept analysis. Master's thesis, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany, Karlstads Universitet, Sweden, 2006.
• 3: Sebastian Clauß , Marit Köhntopp, Identity management and its support of multilateral security, Computer Networks: The International Journal of Computer and Telecommunications Networking, v.37 n.2, p.205-219, October, 2001 [doi>10.1016/S1389-1286(01)00217-1]
• 4: C. Díaz, S. Seys, J. Claessens, and B. Preneel. Towards measuring anonymity. In R. Dingledine and P. Syverson, editors, Proceedings of Privacy Enhancing Technologies Workshop (PET 2002). Springer-Verlag, LNCS 2482, April 2002.
• 5: Sébastien Ferré , Olivier Ridoux, A File System Based on Concept Analysis, Proceedings of the First International Conference on Computational Logic, p.1033-1047, July 01, 2000
• 6: Simone Fischer-Hubner, IT-security and privacy: design and use of privacy-enhancing security mechanisms, Springer-Verlag New York, Inc., New York, NY, 2001
• 7: S. Fischer-Hübner, C. Andersson, and T. Holleboom. Framework v2. Deliverable D14.1.b, PRIME - Privacy and Identity Management for Europe, Contract No. 507591, July 2006.
• 8: Bernhard Ganter , C. Franzke , Rudolf Wille, Formal Concept Analysis: Mathematical Foundations, Springer-Verlag New York, Inc., Secaucus, NJ, 1997
• 9: M. Hansen, P. Berlich, J. Camenisch, S. Clauβ, A. Pfitzmann, and M. Waidner. Privacy-enhancing identity management. Istr, 2004.
• 10: T. Linderborg. Avidentifiera jobbansökningar - en metod för mångfald. Technical Report SOU 2005:115, Sveriges regering, December 2005.
• 11: C. Lindig. Fast concept analysis. In Work with Conceptual Structures - Contributions to ICCS 2000, pages 152--161. Shaker Verlag, August 2000.
• 12: A. Pfitzmann and M. Hansen. Anonymity, Unlinkablility, Unobservability, Pseudonymity, and Identity Management - A Consolidated Proposal for Terminology. Technische Universität Dresden and ULD Kiel, v0.28 edition, May 2006.
• 13: Susanne Prediger , Rudolf Wille, The Lattice of Concept Graphs of a Relationally Scaled Context, Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Conceptual Structures: Standards and Practices, p.401-414, July 12-15, 1999
• 14: U. Priss. Formal concept analysis in information science. Annual review of information science and technology, 40:521--543, 2006.
• 15: Steve Schneider , Abraham Sidiropoulos, CSP and Anonymity, Proceedings of the 4th European Symposium on Research in Computer Security: Computer Security, p.198-218, September 25-27, 1996
• 16: C. E. Shannon. A mathematical theory of communication. The Bell System Technical Journal, 27:379--423, 623--656, 1948.
• 17: S. Steinbrecher and S. Köpsell. Modelling unlinkability. In R. Dingledine, editor, Proceedings of Privacy Enhancing Technologies workshop (PET 2003). Springer-Verlag, LNCS 2760, March 2003.
• 18: Latanya Sweeney, k-anonymity: a model for protecting privacy, International Journal of Uncertainty, Fuzziness and Knowledge-Based Systems, v.10 n.5, p.557-570, October 2002 [doi>10.1142/S0218488502001648]
• 19: Paul F. Syverson , Stuart G. Stubblebine, Group Principals and the Formalization of Anonymity, Proceedings of the Wold Congress on Formal Methods in the Development of Computing Systems-Volume I, p.814-833, September 20-24, 1999

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.4 COMPUTERS AND SOCIETY
      K.4.1 Public Policy Issues
          Subjects: Privacy

Additional Classification:
  E. Data
  E.1 DATA STRUCTURES
      Subjects: Graphs and networks

  G. Mathematics of Computing
  G.2 DISCRETE MATHEMATICS
      G.2.3 Applications

  H. Information Systems
  H.3 INFORMATION STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL
      H.3.1 Content Analysis and Indexing
          Subjects: Abstracting methods

General Terms:
Security

Keywords:
anonymity, concept analysis, data analysis, identity management, information management, privacy-enhancing technology, unlinkability