Decentralized Encrypted Communication: An Investigation of the
Current Landscape and Future Prospect
Hexing Shao
College of Electronic and Information Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 201800, China
Keywords: Blockchain Technology, Encrypted Communication, Decentralization, End-to-End Encryption (E2EE),
Decentralized Data Storage
Abstract: Blockchain and encrypted communication technology have emerged and have also been greatly developed,
and have also greatly affected individuals’ lives. Therefore, this article discusses in depth the decentralized
encrypted communication program based on Blockchain technology and its related core technologies. This
paper first analyzes the workflow of the decentralized encrypted communication programs, and then
discusses the key technologies involved in the whole process, such as Blockchain technology, End-to-End
encryption (E2EE), and decentralized data storage technology. This paper reviews the development history
of these technologies and discusses their relationship with decentralized encrypted communication
programs. This paper comprehensively evaluates the development status and challenges of these core
technologies, and predicts the future development trend of decentralized encrypted communication
programs based on the available information. The results show that the decentralized encrypted
communication program effectively combines Blockchain technology, E2EE and decentralized data storage
technology, and is a completely new communication method, which is profoundly affecting and changing
traditional digital communication methods. It provides users with a more secure and efficient
communication platform. At the same time, this emerging communication method also faces challenges
such as poor scalability, low efficiency of Blockchain technology, and the threat posed by quantum
computing, which is currently advancing at a rapid pace. The paper also emphasizes the importance of
focusing on post-quantum cryptography (PQC) to bolster the security and reliability of these programs in an
ever-evolving technological landscape.
1 INTRODUCTION
Since the beginning of the 21st century, with the
rapid development of Internet technology, the level
of Blockchain technology and encrypted
communication technology has been greatly
improved and widely used and has had an important
impact on lives (Sarıtekin et al, 2018, Vilhelmson et
al, 2017, Firth et al, 2019). At the same time, the
combination of Blockchain technology and
encrypted communication technology -
decentralized encrypted communication programs
based on Blockchain technology have also been
developed and widely used (Sarıtekin et al, 2018).
In contrast to traditional communication
programs or web pages that rely on centralized
servers, decentralized applications (DAPPs) have the
characteristic of running on decentralized Peer-to-
Peer (P2P) networks (Ellebrink, 2022). Due to their
unique mode of operation, they have the
characteristics of not being controlled by a single
authority, implementing decentralized storage
schemes, and having strong resistance to failures
(Ellebrink, 2022). The decentralized encrypted
communication programs built on this basis also
have the characteristics of strong anonymity, high
security, and anti-censorship (Sarıtekin et al, 2018,
Yu et al, 2016). This technology is considered to be
a revolution of traditional digital communication
technology, which is expected to affect the current
communication methods of human society
profoundly (Firth et al, 2019), and has the potential
to change the development trend of the entire digital
communication industry (Firth et al, 2019).
This study tries to start with the workflow of the
decentralized encrypted communication programs
and analyze the characteristics of each link in the
process of program operation (Sarıtekin et al, 2018).
Shao, H.
Decentralized Encrypted Communication: An Investigation of the Current Landscape and Future Prospect.
DOI: 10.5220/0012821000004547
Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Data Science and Engineering (ICDSE 2024), pages 275-280
ISBN: 978-989-758-690-3
Proceedings Copyright © 2024 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda.
275

In addition, the research will further analyze the key
technologies in the working process, and discuss the
development process of these technologies in
conjunction with the decentralized encrypted
communication program (Sarıtekin et al, 2018).
Through comprehensive analysis of its current
development status and the challenges it faces, it is
expected to predict future development trends. To
discuss these problems is of great significance for
the popularization and further development of
decentralized encrypted communication programs
(Sarıtekin et al, 2018).
2 METHOD
2.1 Overview of Decentralized
Encrypted Communication
Programs
The most important characteristics of decentralized
encrypted communication programs are
decentralized mode of operation and high security
(Sarıtekin et al, 2018).
The first step for every user of the program must
be to create an account. After that, the program will
verify the identity information with a decentralized
authentication system with high confidence. If the
authentication passes, the Public Key Infrastructure
(PKI) function is used to generate a pair of keys for
the user: a public key and a private key (Khalifa et
al, 2004). This pair of keys plays a very important
role in the encryption workflow: the sender first uses
the receiver's public key to encrypt the information
to be sent, and converts the information into
ciphertext, while the receiver uses the private key to
decrypt the ciphertext after receiving the ciphertext.
It is worth mentioning that this type of encryption is
the foundation of communication security because it
ensures that only the trusted recipient can read the
information correctly, which is the basic principle of
encrypted communication (Khalifa et al, 2004).
After the encryption process is complete, the
program will enter the ciphertext transmission
process. In this process, the decentralized encrypted
communication program will use end-to-end
encryption (E2EE) technology to transmit ciphertext
through a decentralized network such as Blockchain
or Ethereum. This unique transmission method
makes the entire transmission process more secure
and reliable, while also reducing the risk of third
parties intercepting or tampering with the
information. After receiving the encrypted message,
the receiver can get the original message by
decrypting the ciphertext using the receiver's private
key (Sarıtekin et al, 2018, Khalifa et al, 2004,
Ermoshina et al, 2016).
In terms of information storage strategy, the
decentralized encrypted communication program
does not use the traditional local storage strategy but
instead stores information and other data in a
decentralized network through Blockchain data
storage technology (Hao et al, 2017), which
improves the security and stability of information
while also improving the traceability and reliability
of data.
2.2 Key Technologies
2.2.1 Blockchain Technology
The history of the recognized Blockchain can be
traced back to the origin of Bitcoin. The concept of
Bitcoin was proposed by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2009
(Nakamoto, 2008), the concept laid the foundation
of modern Blockchain technology, opened and
ushered in the era of digital currency and
decentralized technology, and created a whole new
field of technology and finance. The core features of
Blockchain technology are distributed ledger,
cryptographic security, consensus mechanism, and
smart contracts. The Blockchain also verifies the
transaction data carried out on the network while
recording it and links these data to the blocks of the
data chain through a specific algorithm, thus
ensuring the immutability of the data. Encryption
algorithms such as the SHA256 hash function are
used to ensure data integrity and security. The
introduction of consensus mechanisms, such as
Proof-of-Work (PoW) or Proof-of-Stake (PoS),
ensures the consistency of data between the various
decentralized nodes on the network (Nakamoto,
2008, Wang et al, 2019).
As an important part of Blockchain, smart
contracts realize the automatic execution of contract
terms, improve the operating efficiency of
Blockchain, and greatly expand the application field
of Blockchain. In the Blockchain 1.0 era, it mainly
focused on virtual currency transactions of Bitcoin,
and then in the Blockchain 2.0 era, the smart
contract technology was introduced by Ethereum,
expanding the application scenario of Blockchain to
finance, law, and other fields, while today's
Blockchain 3.0 era is more inclined to the
construction of decentralized groups. For example,
decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) are
expected to become a new type of effective
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organization for dealing with uncertain, diverse, and
complex environments. It can be seen that the
development of Blockchain shows a trend of
diversification, practicality, and popularization (Hao
et al, 2017, Buterin, 2014, Wang et al, 2019).
Based on the analysis of the above technologies,
the article points out that there is a close technical
correlation between decentralized encrypted
communication programs and Blockchain Based on
Blockchain, these encrypted communication
programs have a safe and reliable operating
platform, ensuring the traceability and immutability
of information data in the communication process
(Nakamoto, 2008).
In the entire process, the decentralized encrypted
communication program will also use Blockchain
technology to verify the user's identity and exchange
relevant information. This not only improves the
efficiency of communication, but also reduces the
dependence on the central server due to its
decentralized structural characteristics, further
reduces the potential risk of failure, and improves
the stability of the entire communication network. In
addition, the immutable nature of the Blockchain
itself also means that the relevant information data
can’t be tampered with by anyone once it is
recorded(Nakamoto, 2008), which provides a strong
guarantee for the authenticity and traceability of
digital communications. In general, the decentralized
encrypted communication programs based on
Blockchain technology can provide users with a
more secure and efficient new communication
platform, and with further development, its
application range and application scope and
potential are continuing to expand (Sarıtekin et al,
2018).
In general, Blockchain technology is not only the
cornerstone of virtual digital currencies but also a
key factor in building secure and efficient
decentralized cryptographic communication
programs (Nakamoto, 2008).
2.2.2 End-to-End Encryption Technology
E2EE technology plays a particularly prominent role
in ensuring the communication security of
decentralized encrypted communication programs.
Its core principle is to ensure that only the
communication parties, that is, the sender and
receiver of information, can process and obtain
effective information in the process of
communication, and the security of information will
not be affected by the unreliability of the middle
node of the network. In E2EE's workflow, messages
are encrypted on the sender's device and then
decrypted on the receiver's device. This mechanism
ensures that even if a message is intercepted during
transmission by a third party, including an Internet
Service Provider (ISP), communication program
platform, or other entity monitoring the
communication, those third parties cannot read the
original message content (Ermoshina et al, 2016).
In 1991, Phil Zimmerman et al proposed Pretty
Good Privacy (PGP) (Garfinkel, 1995), which is
recognized as the first program on the Internet that
allows users to communicate over long distances
without being monitored. Since then, E2EE
technology has played a vital role in email
communication, becoming the common standard
used for email encryption. In 2004, the advent of the
Off-the-Record Messaging (OTR) protocol further
improved the privacy and security of instant
messaging systems (Di Raimondo et al, 2005). In
contrast, PGP is mainly concerned with the
encryption of email messages, and OTR is more
concerned with the privacy and security of instant
communications. More recently, in 2013, Open
Whisper Systems developed Signal (S1SxMq,
2024), a non-federated protocol that provides E2EE
for group communications, which is widely used in
modern communications applications.
Taken together, E2EE technology has made
significant progress and plays an important role in
protecting the privacy and security of email
communications and instant digital communications.
In decentralized encrypted communication
programs, these technologies further reinforce their
critical role in protecting communication data
security and user privacy.
But with the rapid development of quantum
computing technology, E2EE faces new challenges
now. Traditional encryption methods, such as the
RSA algorithm, will be vulnerable to quantum
computing attacks in the future. According to
relevant predictions, quantum computers are
expected to crack the RSA algorithm by 2030 or
earlier. Because of this situation, the global
information security community is accelerating the
research and application promotion of Post-Quantum
Cryptography (PQC) to cope with the great
challenges to traditional encryption methods in the
post-quantum era (Bernstein & Lange, 2017). These
outreach efforts are essential to maintaining the
stability and security of decentralized encrypted
communication programs and to protect against
Decentralized Encrypted Communication: An Investigation of the Current Landscape and Future Prospect
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possible new threats arising from further
technological developments in the future.
2.2.3 Decentralized Data Storage
Technology
Decentralized data storage technology is a
revolutionary data storage method developed based
on Blockchain technology, which subverts the
traditional centralized storage and data processing
system. Its core features include decentralization,
redundant storage, collective maintenance, and
tamper-proof, making it possible to implement
decentralized applications. Bitcoin and Blockchain
technology, as the earliest practitioners of
decentralized data processing, have profoundly
affected the pattern of traditional centralized storage.
In terms of a decentralized storage model, Hao
Kun et al proposed a decentralized distributed
metadata storage model (DMB). The model first
ensures the integrity of metadata by storing it in
blocks and further redundantly on the Blockchain.
The DMB model solves the security and efficiency
problems of traditional centralized metadata storage
(Ermoshina et al, 2016).
As of June 2023, the total storage capacity of
decentralized storage has exceeded 22,000 PB, but
the overall network utilization is only about 20%
(PANews, 2024). This shows that there is even
greater potential for growth in the future. In the
existing decentralized storage market, Filecoin
controls approximately more than 80% of the
storage capacity, which allows it to dominate the
overall market. At the same time, it also introduced
projects such as Filecoin Plus and FVM to motivate
developers to participate and promote the healthy
development of the entire decentralized storage
ecosystem (PANews, 2024).
The development of these decentralized storage
technologies has a profound impact on decentralized
encrypted communication programs, providing them
with secure, decentralized, and efficient storage
solutions, and greatly promoting the development
and promotion of decentralized technology.
3 DISCUSSION
3.1 Current Application Progress
The development and application of decentralized
encrypted communication programs mark a critical
advance in the field of digital communications and
information security. The organic integration of
Blockchain technology, E2EE, and decentralized
data storage technology has completely changed the
traditional sense of digital communication mode.
The immutable ledger technology of Blockchain,
combined with the security provided by public key
infrastructure, heralds a new era of trust and security
in digital interactions. E2EE, on the other hand,
ensures that only the designated recipient can
decrypt and understand the information, thus
achieving the purpose of privacy and confidentiality
protection in the contemporary Internet digital
environment (Firth et al, 2019, Ermoshina et al,
2016).
The development of Blockchain technology from
the very beginning of virtual currency transactions
(such as Bitcoin) to the realization of complex smart
contract functions and the formation of DAOs
highlights the diversity of its functions and great
development potential (Wang et al, 2019). In the
development of decentralized encrypted
communication programs, the application of
Blockchain provides a stable basic framework for
the secure exchange of information with tamper-
proof characteristics.
In addition, the rapid development of platforms
like Filecoin demonstrates the potential of
decentralized data storage technology to create more
secure, efficient, and scalable storage solutions
(PANews, 2024). The application of these
technologies in the decentralized encrypted
communication programs can not only enhance the
security of data but also improve the processing
speed and transmission efficiency of data.
3.2 Limitations and Challenges
Overall, although decentralized encryption programs
have made great progress and wide application,
there are still some problems and challenges. One of
the most important problems is the contradiction
between the shortcomings of Blockchain technology
in terms of scalability and operational efficiency and
the contemporary requirements for high scalability
and high operational efficiency. Due to the
limitations of its nature, its working speed is
relatively slow, and the Blockchain needs to
consume a lot of energy during the working process,
so these reasons cause objective difficulties for the
further promotion of the program (Yuan & Wang,
2016). In addition, the integration of Blockchain
technology and E2EE technology into the
communication program requires a high level of
expertise, which will likely hinder the further
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adoption of decentralized encrypted communication
programs in the general user population.
Another major challenge is the emergence and
rapid development of quantum computing.
Compared with traditional cracking methods,
quantum computers are hoped to crack traditional
encryption schemes more effectively, such as RSA
and ECC algorithms, which will pose a serious
threat to the existing encryption communication
security standards. Because of this imminent
technological threat, current researchers must
accelerate the research and application of PQC to
effectively cope with possible future cryptography
breakthroughs (Bernstein & Lange, 2017).
In addition, due to the decentralized nature of
these platforms themselves, it is possible to trigger
undesirable events such as abuse of anonymity by
users or illegal activities through virtual name
communication. Therefore, there is an urgent need to
address the issue of privacy, security, and the
balance between laws and regulations in the current
field.
3.3 Future Prospects
It is found that the development prospect of
decentralized encrypted communication programs is
very broad. Based on further development and
improvement of Blockchain technology, especially
breakthroughs in terms of scalability and efficiency,
there is hope to break through the current limitations
and gain a larger scale of popularity. At the same
time, the introduction of Ethereum 2.0 technology
will enable the entire system to transition from the
traditional PoW model to the PoS model, thus
further transforming it into an environmentally
friendly Blockchain solution (Yuan & Wang, 2016,
Anwar et al, 2020).
Further developments in PQC are expected to
provide strong defenses for decentralized encrypted
communication programs against quantum
computing threats (Bernstein & Lange, 2017). The
development and application of decentralized
storage technology indicates that it has great
potential to build a decentralized data ecosystem,
which will provide the development foundation for
next-generation Internet applications such as
decentralized finance (DeFi) and Web 3.0 (Zetzsche
et al, 2020).
Overall, although the current decentralized
encrypted communication programs have made
breakthroughs, they still face huge challenges.
Further refining the complex balance between
privacy, security, and efficiency will be the focus of
future development (Yuan & Wang, 2016). In the
future, the further development of Blockchain
technology, E2EE technology, and decentralized
storage technology will provide power for the
development of a more secure, efficient, and
privacy-conscious digital communication
environment.
4 CONCLUSION
This study delves into the technical details,
application scenarios, and future development
prospects of decentralized encrypted communication
programs, and discusses the role of E2EE
technology, decentralized data storage technology,
and Blockchain technology in improving the
security and privacy of decentralized encrypted
communication programs. The results show that the
above key technologies play an important role in
ensuring the security of decentralized encrypted
communication programs, especially thanks to the
use of E2EE and decentralized storage technology,
secure and efficient data storage solutions have been
established.
However, the study does have some limitations.
It lacks a detailed discussion of how to solve the
scalability and efficiency problems of Blockchain
technology, does not in-depth analysis of the
challenges caused by quantum computing to current
encryption methods, and does not in-depth analysis
of the practical application and impact of PQC in the
field of contemporary cryptography and future
development potential. Future research should
complement and improve these parts in time to
further discuss solutions to the scalability,
efficiency, and sustainable development problems of
Blockchain technology.
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