Data Exchange for the Metaverse With Accountable Decentralized TTPs and Incentive Mechanisms

As a global virtual environment, the metaverse poses various challenges regarding data storage, sharing, interoperability, and privacy preservation. Typically, a trusted third party (TTP) is considered necessary in these scenarios. However, relying on a single TTP may introduce biases, compromise privacy, or lead to single-point-of-failure problem. To address these challenges and enable secure data exchange in the metaverse, we propose a system based on decentralized TTPs and the Ethereum blockchain. First, we use the threshold ElGamal cryptosystem to create the decentralized TTPs, employing verifiable secret sharing (VSS) to force owners to share data honestly. Second, we leverage the Ethereum blockchain to serve as the public communication channel, automatic verification machine, and smart contract engine. Third, we apply discrete logarithm equality (DLEQ) algorithms to generate non-interactive zero knowledge (NIZK) proofs when encrypted data is uploaded to the blockchain. Fourth, we present an incentive mechanism to benefit data owners and TTPs from data-sharing activities, as well as a penalty policy if malicious behavior is detected. Consequently, we construct a data exchange framework for the metaverse, in which all involved entities are accountable. Finally, we perform comprehensive experiments to demonstrate the feasibility and analyze the properties of the proposed system.