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Homomorphic encryption is interesting from a mathematics perspective, but in practical terms it seems like an awful lot of effort being invested to move even mo

Homomorphic encryption is interesting from a mathematics perspective, but in practical terms it seems like an awful lot of effort being invested to move even more computing off of your own devices and onto the "cloud."

weavejester 9y ago
Efficient homomorphic encryption (and my understanding is that homomorphic encryption is still far from being efficient) has benefits for physical security as well, such as removing the need to keep decrypted data in RAM.
- jhoechtl 9y ago
  I think this is the highest benefit. This an offloading sensitive data into the cloud.
rpearl 9y ago
If you're arguing that no computation should be proprietary, ever... okay. Not opening that discussion right now. But, assuming that one does, ever, want someone else to do a proprietary computation on one's data, it'd be real nice if that didn't require giving up plaintext.
- madrafi 9y ago
  I would like to point that although HE isn't efficient Multi Party Computation is very promising .
mtgx 9y ago
We already have an awful lot of data in the cloud. If Google and Facebook adopted homomorphic encryption, it would be a huge improvement.
- madrafi 9y ago
  Yes!
- admax88q 9y ago
  But they won't. The reason they're willing to store and serve all the information for us is so they can mine it for revenue. They're not going to adopt homomorphic encryption and lock themselves out from their primary (only) revenue source.
derefr 9y ago
Homomorphic encryption + smart contracts = an immortal, non-subpoena-able lawyer holding your signing keys in trust, who can continue to act “as you” even after your death. That’s useful, no? Add a cryptocurrency wallet for which the signing keys are the private keys, and now it’s more like an immortal, non-subpoena-able corporation executing your desires using its treasury assets. (Which can include hiring real people to do real-world things, and even—given that you could provision crypto mining capacity—making income to keep said corporation’s actions [relatively] self-sustaining.)
- madrafi 9y ago
  Zero Knowledge Proofs are better in this scenario.
- elcritch 9y ago
  William Gibson called, I believe he wishes to discuss a new novel with you. But seriously while amazing in potential, having semi-intelligent contracts running around indefinitely would eventually have to cause havoc. Either by the “Paperip Maximizer” effect [1] or just having a huge weight dragging down the economy from accruing smart contracts. 1: https://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Paperclip_maximizer https://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Paperclip_maximizer
  - philsnow 9y ago
    Daniel Suarez wrote it already. Check out Daemon https://amzn.com/0451228731 https://amzn.com/0451228731 .
    - GCU-Empiricist 9y ago
      Yes, though if I understood things correctly that one had the option to add capabilities using fmri vetted coders.
    - dsnuh 9y ago
      Seconded! And also the sequel, Freedom. The basic premise of the story seems entirely plausible in the near future to me.

weavejester 9y ago

Efficient homomorphic encryption (and my understanding is that homomorphic encryption is still far from being efficient) has benefits for physical security as well, such as removing the need to keep decrypted data in RAM.

jhoechtl 9y ago
I think this is the highest benefit. This an offloading sensitive data into the cloud.

rpearl 9y ago

If you're arguing that no computation should be proprietary, ever... okay. Not opening that discussion right now. But, assuming that one does, ever, want someone else to do a proprietary computation on one's data, it'd be real nice if that didn't require giving up plaintext.

madrafi 9y ago
I would like to point that although HE isn't efficient Multi Party Computation is very promising .

mtgx 9y ago

We already have an awful lot of data in the cloud. If Google and Facebook adopted homomorphic encryption, it would be a huge improvement.

madrafi 9y ago
Yes!
admax88q 9y ago
But they won't. The reason they're willing to store and serve all the information for us is so they can mine it for revenue. They're not going to adopt homomorphic encryption and lock themselves out from their primary (only) revenue source.

derefr 9y ago

Homomorphic encryption + smart contracts = an immortal, non-subpoena-able lawyer holding your signing keys in trust, who can continue to act “as you” even after your death. That’s useful, no? Add a cryptocurrency wallet for which the signing keys are the private keys, and now it’s more like an immortal, non-subpoena-able corporation executing your desires using its treasury assets. (Which can include hiring real people to do real-world things, and even—given that you could provision crypto mining capacity—making income to keep said corporation’s actions [relatively] self-sustaining.)

madrafi 9y ago
Zero Knowledge Proofs are better in this scenario.
elcritch 9y ago
William Gibson called, I believe he wishes to discuss a new novel with you. But seriously while amazing in potential, having semi-intelligent contracts running around indefinitely would eventually have to cause havoc. Either by the “Paperip Maximizer” effect [1] or just having a huge weight dragging down the economy from accruing smart contracts. 1: https://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Paperclip_maximizer https://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Paperclip_maximizer
- philsnow 9y ago
  Daniel Suarez wrote it already. Check out Daemon https://amzn.com/0451228731 https://amzn.com/0451228731 .
  - GCU-Empiricist 9y ago
    Yes, though if I understood things correctly that one had the option to add capabilities using fmri vetted coders.
  - dsnuh 9y ago
    Seconded! And also the sequel, Freedom. The basic premise of the story seems entirely plausible in the near future to me.