SeedPay
Security

Privacy Model

ECDH privacy guarantees, unlinkability, and forward secrecy in SeedPay.

V0.3 introduces ephemeral session keys to ensure payment privacy — blockchain observers cannot link wallet addresses to download activity.

Privacy Guarantees

1. Unlinkability (Blockchain to Swarm)

Blockchain observers see:

wallet_A → wallet_B, memo: { session_hash: "0xabc..." }

They cannot determine:

  • Which torrent is being downloaded
  • Which peer_id is involved
  • Which IP address is associated

The session_hash is SHA-256(Session_UUID) — preimage resistance of SHA-256 prevents reversing it.

2. Unlinkability (Session to Session)

  • Each TCP connection uses fresh ephemeral keys
  • Different sessions produce different Session_UUIDs
  • Blockchain observers cannot link multiple payments from the same user across sessions

3. Forward Secrecy

  • Ephemeral keys are deleted after the session ends
  • Compromising a wallet after the fact cannot decrypt past sessions
  • Past download history remains private

What is NOT Private

Not all metadata is hidden:

Visible ToInformation
Blockchain observersThe fact that wallet_A paid wallet_B (amounts and timing)
Swarm participantsSeeder wallet addresses (visible in handshake)
ISP / network observerConnection metadata (IP addresses, timing, volume)

Privacy Best Practices

Recommendations

  • Use Tor or VPN for IP address privacy
  • Use burner wallets funded via mixers for maximum anonymity
  • Avoid reusing the same Seeder/Leecher wallet combination if privacy is critical

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