Blockchain from the Perspective of Privacy and Anonymisation: A Systematic Literature Review

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Information Security
• Distributed Ledger Technology

Background:

• Blockchain technology's inherent transparency poses challenges for user privacy.
• Anonymisation techniques are crucial for mitigating privacy risks in blockchain applications.
• Understanding the interplay between privacy and anonymisation is vital for secure blockchain adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically investigate the relationship between privacy and anonymisation in diverse blockchain applications.
• To identify and describe common anonymisation techniques employed in blockchain technology.
• To highlight limitations and future research directions in blockchain privacy.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review across multiple databases.
• Initial screening of 199 publications, with 28 selected for detailed data extraction.
• Analysis of anonymisation techniques such as Ring Signature, homomorphic encryption, k-anonymity, and data obfuscation.

Main Results:

• A significant correlation between privacy and anonymisation was found in most blockchain application fields.
• Various anonymisation techniques are effectively employed to bolster privacy.
• Operation traceability is identified as a key risk to privacy in blockchain systems.

Conclusions:

• The degree of privacy achieved varies based on the specific anonymisation mechanisms implemented.
• Effective anonymisation techniques are critical for enhancing blockchain privacy.
• Addressing traceability is essential for future advancements in blockchain privacy and security.