vac:acz:ift:2025q3-libp2p-mix-testnet
Publishing the findings with a blog post and a paper, and consulting the Waku PoC over mixnet
Description
This commitment entails publishing the findings with a blog post and a paper with an extensive benchmark and privacy analysis, also maintaining the Waku PoC over the mixnet. Lastly, review and modify the codebase for better compatibility.
Background
The primary objective of this anonymization layer is to serve as a cohesive anonymization solution for gossip-based projects, with a specific focus on integrating it with the IFT projects Waku and Codex.
Our initial exploration will revolve around extending our Tor push proposal. In this approach, messages will traverse through an anonymization network before being disseminated via gossip protocols upon exiting the anonymization network. Additionally, we aim to investigate the concept of embedding anonymization capabilities directly into gossipsub, rather than routing messages through a separate anonymization network before entering a standard gossipsub network operation.
In 2025q3, we delivered mixnet gossipsub to be benchmarked in large scale, updated the RFC with latest changes, and SURB implementationm lastly obtain the comparison between Nomos blend network and P2P mixnet.
Narratives
By utilizing this commitment, we will reinforce the Conduit of Expertise narrative by:
- Deploy the mixnet implementation as standard mixnet to the nimlibp2p repo.
We will also strengthen the Premier Research Destination narrative by:
- Publish a paper on arxiv.com that includes security/privacy analysis with applicability and revelance(product-market fit), offering improvements over Tor push.
- Publish a blogpost on vac.dev/rlog that includes update on transport layer of mixnet and Waku integration.
Task List
Updating RFC
- fully qualified name:
vac:acz:ift:2025q3-libp2p-mix-testnet:update-rfc - owner: Akshaya
- status: started (35%)
- start-date:
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Description
This task entails completing updating the mixnet RFC with latest findings such as clarifications on the pluggable components, introducing the entry and exit layers and libp2p integrations.
Deliverables
- A PR to vacp2p/rfc-index
Investigate Unexpected Mixnet Latency
- fully qualified name:
vac:acz:ift:2025q3-libp2p-mix-testnet:unexpected-latency - owner: Akshaya
- status: not started
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Description
This task entails investigating to find root cause of unexpected latency. Observed latency with 3 mix hops and 100ms delays is ~1100–1600ms, far exceeding the expected ~300ms. Prior Lightpush tests showed much lower overhead.
Deliverables
- A PR to vacp2p/mix
Fix Premature Handler Invocation
- fully qualified name:
vac:acz:ift:2025q3-libp2p-mix-testnet:premature-handler - owner: Akshaya
- status: not started
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Description
This task entails solving the issue that: in some runs, handlers are triggered before any exit receives the message. Likely due to publisher advertising the message via IHAVE from its mcache while the mix path is still active. Requires investigation and fix.
Deliverables
- A PR to vacp2p/mix
Consulting Waku-mix
- fully qualified name:
vac:acz:ift:2025q3-libp2p-mix-testnet:consulting-waku-mix - owner: Akshaya
- status: not started
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Description
Consulting about mixnet to Mixnet integration to the Waku.
Deliverables
- PR to vacp2p/mix or waku-org/nwaku repo.
Multi SURB Design
- fully qualified name:
vac:acz:ift:2025q3-libp2p-mix-testnet:multi-surb-design - owner: Akshaya
- status: not started
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Description
This task focuses on developing a multi-SURB scheme capable of resolving inconsistencies that occur when multiple SURBs are concurrently active.
Deliverables
- A [PR] to vacp2p/rfc-index
Mix benchmarking
- fully qualified name:
vac:acz:ift:2025q3-libp2p-mix-testnet:mix-benchmarking - owner: Ben
- status: not started
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Description
This task involves running the next set of benchmarks after resolving the outstanding issues.
Deliverables
- A [PR] to vacp2p/nim-libp2p
nimlibp2p integration
- fully qualified name:
vac:acz:ift:2025q3-libp2p-mix-testnet:nimlibp2p-integration - owner: Ben
- status: not started
- start-date:
- end-date:
Description
This task focuses on integration the mix into the vacp2p/nim-libp2p repo
Deliverables
- A [PR] to vacp2p/nim-libp2p