Enhancing Security and Privacy in 5G Bubbles with Zero-Knowledge Proofs: A Comparative Analysis

In the domain of authentication, information leakage which can lead to identity theft represents a significant challenge in the field of cybersecurity. This challenge is particularly relevant in the context of 5 G tactical bubbles, where secure and efficient authentication mechanisms are critical to gain access to sensitive information and communication services. The concept of Zero-Knowledge Proofs, in particular non-interactive proofs, has gained attention in recent years as robust cryptographic methods for privacy-preserving protocols. Zero-knowledge proofs enable users to prove possession of specific knowledge to verifiers without revealing the knowledge itself in a single interaction round. Despite its growing popularity, Zero-Knowledge Proofs have not yet been fully explored within 5 G tactical bubbles. In this paper, we perform a comparative analysis between traditional authentication mechanisms and Zero-Knowledge Proofs-enabled authentications. To this end, we evaluate the feasibility in terms of time and computational complexity and determine whether these advanced authentication protocols can ensure enhanced privacy and security in 5 G tactical bubbles.