Systems and methods for performing two-tiered multi-party computation signing procedures to perform blockchain operations
Methods and systems described herein relate to an improved platform that provides secure, encrypted communications across distributed computer networks when coordinating cryptography-based digital repositories in order to perform blockchain operations in decentralized applications. More specifically, the methods and systems provide this improved platform by introducing additional abstraction layers into a production service for computing signatures during multi-party computation (MPC) signing procedures.
1. A system for performing a two-tiered multi-party computation (MPC) for authorizing use of cryptography-based digital repositories in order to perform blockchain operations in decentralized applications, the system comprising:
a cryptography-based, storage application for a first user account, wherein the cryptography-based, storage application corresponds to a plurality of partial private keys;
a plurality of user devices, wherein each of the plurality of user devices corresponds to one of the plurality of partial private keys; and
a remote coordination server comprising an application programming interface (API) configured to perform operations comprising:
receiving, from a first user device, a first user request to perform a blockchain operation for a first cohort for the first user account, wherein the first cohort includes user devices authorized to contribute to a first tier of a digital signing ceremony featuring a MPC signing procedure for conducting blockchain operations corresponding to the cryptography-based, storage application for the first user account;
coordinating the first tier of the digital signing ceremony in an asynchronous manner by:
transmitting, at a first time, a first request for a first communication to the first user device of the plurality of user devices;
receiving, at a second time, the first communication from the first user device; and
determining whether a difference between the first time and the second time does not exceed a first time threshold, wherein the first time threshold corresponds to an asynchronous time period;
in response to determining that the difference between the first time and the second time does not exceed the first time threshold, coordinating a second tier of the digital signing ceremony in an synchronous manner by:
transmitting, at a third time, a third request for a third communication to a second user device of the plurality of user devices;
receiving, at a fourth time, the third communication from the second user device; and
determining whether a difference between the third time and the fourth time does not exceed a second time threshold, wherein the second time threshold corresponds to a synchronous time period; and
in response to determining that the difference between the third time and the fourth time does not exceed the second time threshold, performing the blockchain operation.
2. A method for performing a two-tiered multi-party computation (MPC) for authorizing use of cryptography-based digital repositories in order to perform blockchain operations in decentralized applications, the method comprising:
receiving, at a remote coordination server from a first user device, a first user request to perform a blockchain operation for a first cohort for a first user account, wherein the first cohort includes a plurality of user devices authorized to contribute to a first tier of a digital signing ceremony featuring a MPC signing procedure for conducting blockchain operations corresponding to a cryptography-based, storage application for the first user account;
coordinating the first tier of the digital signing ceremony in an asynchronous manner by:
transmitting, at a first time, a first request for a first communication to the first user device of the plurality of user devices;
receiving, at a second time, the first communication from the first user device; and
determining whether a difference between the first time and the second time does not exceed a first time threshold;
in response to determining that the difference between the first time and the second time does not exceed the first time threshold, coordinating a second tier of the digital signing ceremony in a synchronous manner by:
transmitting, at a third time, a third request for a third communication to a second user device of the plurality of user devices;
receiving, at a fourth time, the third communication from the second user device; and
determining whether a difference between the third time and the fourth time does not exceed a second time threshold; and
in response to determining that the difference between the third time and the fourth time does not exceed the second time threshold, performing the blockchain operation.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein coordinating the first tier of the digital signing ceremony in the asynchronous manner further comprises:
transmitting additional requests for additional communications to the plurality of user devices; and
determining whether the additional communications were received from the plurality of user devices within the first time threshold.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein transmitting the third request for the third communication to the second user device of the plurality of user devices further comprises: generating a continuous stream data signal for transmitting the third request; and generating a timing signal for accompanying the continuous stream data signal.
5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising: retrieving a signing policy for the first cohort; and determining the first time threshold based on the signing policy.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein coordinating the second tier of the digital signing ceremony further comprises:
retrieving, at an always-on server, a partial private key;
generating a partial digital signature by contributing to the digital signing ceremony using the partial private key; and
transmitting the partial digital signature to the second user device.
7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first communication comprises end-to-end encryption to prevent the remote coordination server from accessing a message in the first communication.
8. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first communication indicates a minimum number of approvals from the plurality of user devices has been received.
9. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first communication comprises endorsement, by the first user device, of the blockchain operation.
10. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second tier of the digital signing ceremony comprises a synchronous two-of-two signing protocol.
11. The method of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of user devices has a respective private key for performing the blockchain operation for the first cohort for the first user account, and wherein each respective private key is equivalent for signature computation purposes.
12. One or more non-transitory, computer-readable media comprising instructions that, when executed on one or more processors, causes operations comprising:
receiving, at a remote coordination server from a first user device, a first user request to perform a blockchain operation for a first cohort for a first user account, wherein the first cohort includes a plurality of user devices authorized to contribute to a first tier of a digital signing ceremony featuring a MPC signing procedure for conducting blockchain operations corresponding to a cryptography-based, storage application for the first user account;
coordinating the first tier of the digital signing ceremony in an asynchronous manner by:
transmitting, at a first time, a first request for a first communication to the first user device of the plurality of user devices; and
receiving, at a second time, the first communication from the first user device;
in response to determining that a difference between the first time and the second time does not exceed a first time threshold, coordinating a second tier of the digital signing ceremony in a synchronous manner by:
transmitting, at a third time, a third request for a third communication to a second user device of the plurality of user devices; and
receiving, at a fourth time, the third communication from the second user device; and
in response to determining that a difference between the third time and the fourth time does not exceed a second time threshold, performing the blockchain operation.
13. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media medium of claim 12 , wherein coordinating the first tier of the digital signing ceremony in the asynchronous manner further comprises:
transmitting additional requests for additional communications to the plurality of user devices; and
determining whether the additional communications were received from the plurality of user devices within the first time threshold.
14. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 12 , wherein transmitting the third request for the third communication to the second user device of the plurality of user devices comprises:
generating a continuous stream data signal for transmitting the third request; and
generating a timing signal for accompanying the continuous stream data signal.
15. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 12 , wherein the instructions further cause operations comprising:
retrieving a signing policy for the first cohort; and
determining the first time threshold based on the signing policy, the first time threshold being different from the second time threshold.
16. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 12 , wherein coordinating the second tier of the digital signing ceremony further comprises:
retrieving, at an always-on server, a partial private key;
generating a partial digital signature by contributing to the digital signing ceremony using the partial private key; and
transmitting the partial digital signature to the second user device.
17. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 12 , wherein the first communication comprises end-to-end encryption to prevent the remote coordination server from accessing a message in the first communication.
18. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 12 , wherein the first communication indicates a minimum number of approvals from the plurality of user devices has been received.
19. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 12 , wherein the first communication comprises endorsement, by the first user device, of the blockchain operation.
20. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 12 , wherein the second tier of the digital signing ceremony comprises a synchronous two-of-two signing protocol.