Anonymity in Communication: Tor and Cryptographic Protocols

This lecture by the instructor explores the concept of anonymity in communication, focusing on the development of Tor, the limitations of Chaum's cryptographic protocols, and the challenges in achieving perfect anonymity. The presentation covers the history of Tor, the vulnerabilities in the protocol, and the implications of cryptographic breakthroughs. It questions the feasibility of achieving complete anonymity in communication systems, using examples from forensics and cryptography. The lecture delves into the technical background of entropy, impossibility results in achieving perfect anonymity, and the possibilities of partial broadcast solutions. It concludes with open problems in achieving anonymity, the impact on e-voting, and the relevance of the research in digital forensics.