Handshake, a decentralized naming protocol, utilizes the Merkle tree algorithm to achieve secure and efficient management of domain ownership and certificates. Let’s dive into the details:

1. Background:
   • The foundation of the internet’s security has traditionally relied on trusted Certificate Authorities (CAs). These CAs attest that a user is connecting to the correct server or node.
   • However, this centralized model poses risks, as it relies on a handful of trusted actors, many of whom are for-profit corporations. If any of these trusted CAs fail, the entire security of the internet is compromised.
2. Handshake’s Goal:
   • Handshake aims to replace centralized trusted internet infrastructure with a decentralized Certificate Authority and a globally unique namespace.
   • It achieves this through a combination of a decentralized blockchain, cryptographic proofs, and cryptoeconomic mechanisms.
3. Merkle Tree in Handshake:
   • Handshake uses a Merkle tree based on RFC 6962 (which fixes issues with the Bitcoin Merkle tree) and integrates a padding idea from RFC 7574.
   • The Merkle tree is constructed from a list of transactions (such as domain registrations).
   • Each transaction is hashed using SHA3-256, resulting in a 32-byte digest.
   • These digests become the leaves of the Merkle tree.
4. Pairing and Hashing:
   • The hashes are paired and concatenated, forming 64-byte chunks.
   • Each chunk is hashed again using SHA3-256, producing a new 32-byte digest.
   • This process continues until there is only one hash left—the root of the Merkle tree.
5. Verification:
   • To prove that a transaction is included in the Merkle tree, one needs to provide the path from the transaction hash to the root, along with the sibling hashes at each level.
   • The verifier can then recompute the hashes along the path and check if they match the root.
6. Compact Verifiable Proofs:
   • Handshake ensures compatibility with embedded and mobile devices by using compact verifiable proofs.
   • The proof sizes are smaller than base-16 trie proofs and significantly improve performance.
7. Decentralized Community Coordination:
   • Inspired by the free and open-source software community, Handshake achieves decentralized coordination.
   • Ownership of a commodity token by those capable of integrating and using Handshake optimizes for the long-term incentives of the free and open-source community.

In summary, Handshake’s Merkle tree-based approach replaces the social function of centralized corporations with self-interested gift economies, fostering a decentralized and secure internet infrastructure ¹.

Feel free to explore Handshake’s whitepaper and technical documentation for more in-depth information! 🌟

learn more: HSD – Merkle Tree

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