Mempool Privacy in Blockchain Systems: Threshold Encryption, Batched Decryption, and Traitor Tracing

Title of the Talk: Mempool Privacy in Blockchain Systems: Threshold Encryption, Batched Decryption, and Traitor Tracing
Host Faculty: Dr.Maria Francis
Speaker: Anirban Chakrabarti
Date: 8 July 2026
Time: 11:00 am
Venue: CSE LH3

Abstract
Blockchain-based financial systems increasingly face the challenge of protecting pending transactions from manipulation while preserving transparency and decentralization. Encrypted mempools have emerged as a promising solution by hiding transaction contents until they are finalized on-chain. However, achieving privacy at scale requires efficient decryption mechanisms, and ensuring accountability remains a significant challenge when participants misuse their decryption privileges. In this talk, I will discuss recent advances in threshold encryption and batched decryption techniques for scalable blockchain systems. I will then present our recent work on incorporating traitor tracing mechanisms that enable the identification of malicious insiders who collude to violate transaction privacy. The talk will highlight how cryptographic tools can simultaneously provide scalability, privacy, and accountability for next-generation decentralized financial infrastructures.

Bio

Anirban Chakrabarti is a Project Scientist (post-doctoral) at the Department of Computer Science and Automation, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore. He was previously a post-doctoral researcher at Microsoft Research, and a PhD scholar in the same department at IISc. His broad research areas are applied cryptography, information theory and coding theory. His research has been published in top-tier CS conferences (CCS, ASIA CCS).