Konfidi
Trust Networks with PGP and RDF
Dave Brondsema
Andy Schamp
konfidi.org/presentations
Problem
Content-based spam filters aren't perfectly accurate, and spammers adapt to them.
Solution
Filter with ratings from social trust networks, with digital signatures for authenticity.
existing spam solutions: SPF, domainkeys/IIM -> DKIM; our solution: user-level, very broad applications beyond email (webpages, or non-document statements like finding someone to trust for financial advice)
Network Overview
- Identity; trust
- Paths from ego to doc author
different purposes of RDF/trust and PGP/identity; give the example of the researcher in Australia with whom you frequently collaborate, but whom you've never met (but your associates have); basic algorithm/traversal overview
Stating trust with RDF
- Use FOAF and WOT
- Person A trusts Person B
<Relationship>
<truster rdf:nodeID="alice123" />
<trusted>
<foaf:Person>
<foaf:name>Bob</foaf:name>
<wot:hasKey>
<wot:PubKey>
<wot:fingerprint>407CDD8D</wot:fingerprint>
</wot:PubKey>
</wot:hasKey>
</foaf:Person>
</trusted>
<about>
<Item>
<topic rdf:resource="#internet-communication" />
<rating>0.95</rating>
</Item>
</about>
</Relationship>
FOAF describes people, WOT (web of trust) describes PGP facts (full fingeprint would be used); created by each person (they state their trusts),
either manually or with a GUI tool. topics: internet-communication (could specify wiki edits, email, IM), hierarchy of the sciences for trusting web sources
but these ALL need to be accessible easily -> foafserver lead-in
System Architecture
walk through the process of one request/response, explaining each component of the system
Current Implementation
- FOAFServer
- TrustServer
- One client
up and running; konfidi.org; python; not many features yet
Conclusion
- A huge invitation-only network
- Relative to each participant and responsive to problems
- A viable generic trust system, only lacking implementation and adoption
References
- Golbeck, Jennifer. 2005. Computing and Applying Trust in Web-based Social Networks. University of Maryland. http://trust.mindswap.org/papers/GolbeckDissertation.pdf.
- Guha, R., Kumar, Ravi, Raghaven, Prabhakar, & Tomkins, Andrew. 2004. Propagation of Trust and Distrust. Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on World Wide Web, pp. 403-412