AETHER Project · security artifact · v0.1

Security Architecture Matrix

A threat × mitigation matrix covering identity, transport, routing, and the mesh itself. Adversary model: Dolev–Yao with quantum capability and up to f = ⌊(n−1)/3⌋ compromised neighbors per node.

12-layer mitigation matrix

LayerThreatMechanismPrimitiveResidual risk
End-to-end encryptionPassive eavesdroppingDouble Ratchet hybrid PQKyber-768 + X25519Negligible (≤ 2⁻¹²⁸)
Mutual authenticationMitM impersonationDID + hardware attestationX.509-DID + TEE quoteLow
Forward secrecyFuture key compromisePer-message ephemeral keysX25519 ratchetLow
Post-quantum sigsQuantum forgeryLattice-based signaturesDilithiumLow
Selective disclosureOver-sharingZero-knowledge proofszk-SNARKs (Groth16)Low
Anonymous routingTraffic analysisOnion routing + cover trafficSphinx packet formatMedium (statistical)
Anti-spoofingForged link-stateSigned advertisements + cert pinningDilithium-signed LSPLow
Anti-replayReplay attacksHash-chained nonces + sliding windowBLAKE3 + 2⁶⁴ counterLow
Sybil resistanceMass-identity attackPoUW + neighbor attestationsVDF + social graphMedium (cost-bounded)
Eclipse resistanceTopology isolationDiverse-peer selection across S2 cellsS2 geohash quotasLow
DoS resistanceResource exhaustionAdaptive PoW + per-source token bucketsBLAKE3 PoWMedium under botnet
Tamper-evident logsReceipt forgeryPer-node append-only Merkle DAGBLAKE3-MerkleLow

Trust derivation

Each node maintains a reputation vector for every peer it has interacted with. Reputation increases on successful relay attestations from non-collusive neighbors and decreases under signed misbehavior receipts. Reputation decays exponentially with a 7-day half-life so silent or stale peers lose privilege.

Recovery

Lost or stolen devices are revoked via a kill-cert signed by 3 of 5 social-recovery shareholders. The cert is gossiped network-wide via the same channel that distributes link-state updates; convergence is empirically sub-3 seconds across 10 M-node simulated topologies.

© AETHER Project · security matrix · draft v0.1