{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7131313247","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tdsc.2026.3667573","title":"A Mercurial-Based Secure Authentication and Reputation Framework for the Multi-Context Metaverse","display_name":"A Mercurial-Based Secure Authentication and Reputation Framework for the Multi-Context Metaverse","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-02-24","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7131313247","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tdsc.2026.3667573"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1109/tdsc.2026.3667573","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tdsc.2026.3667573","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S133795288","display_name":"IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing","issn_l":"1545-5971","issn":["1545-5971","1941-0018","2160-9209"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320439","host_organization_name":"IEEE Computer Society","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320439","https://openalex.org/P4310319808"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["IEEE Computer Society","Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing","raw_type":"journal-article"},"type":"article","indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":false,"oa_status":"closed","oa_url":null,"any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5028375372","display_name":"Mohamed Seifelnasr","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2563-1891"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I212119943","display_name":"University of Victoria","ror":"https://ror.org/04s5mat29","country_code":"CA","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I212119943"]}],"countries":["CA"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Mohamed Seifelnasr","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2563-1891","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I212119943"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5119761404","display_name":"Mohamed Mobarak","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I212119943","display_name":"University of Victoria","ror":"https://ror.org/04s5mat29","country_code":"CA","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I212119943"]}],"countries":["CA"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Mohamed Mobarak","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0000-0558-5691","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I212119943"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5027096660","display_name":"Riham AlTawy","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4309-6044"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I212119943","display_name":"University of Victoria","ror":"https://ror.org/04s5mat29","country_code":"CA","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I212119943"]}],"countries":["CA"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Riham AlTawy","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4734-3700","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I212119943"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5059358402","display_name":"Amr Youssef","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9343-3475"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I60158472","display_name":"Concordia University","ror":"https://ror.org/0420zvk78","country_code":"CA","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I60158472"]}],"countries":["CA"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Amr Youssef","raw_affiliation_strings":["Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering (CIISE), Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4284-8646","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering (CIISE), Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I60158472"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":4,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":0.0,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.19619364,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":"23","issue":"3","first_page":"6718","last_page":"6733"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11800","display_name":"User Authentication and Security Systems","score":0.3702999949455261,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1710","display_name":"Information Systems"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11800","display_name":"User Authentication and Security Systems","score":0.3702999949455261,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1710","display_name":"Information Systems"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10927","display_name":"Access Control and Trust","score":0.12809999287128448,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3312","display_name":"Sociology and Political Science"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11017","display_name":"Chaos-based Image/Signal Encryption","score":0.03880000114440918,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1707","display_name":"Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/metaverse","display_name":"Metaverse","score":0.7684000134468079},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/avatar","display_name":"Avatar","score":0.7046999931335449},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/authentication","display_name":"Authentication (law)","score":0.6223000288009644},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/anonymity","display_name":"Anonymity","score":0.5985999703407288},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/protocol","display_name":"Protocol (science)","score":0.5209000110626221},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/hash-function","display_name":"Hash function","score":0.4796000123023987},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/cryptography","display_name":"Cryptography","score":0.4449999928474426},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/security-token","display_name":"Security token","score":0.43709999322891235},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/reputation","display_name":"Reputation","score":0.4275999963283539}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.8618000149726868},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C53332860","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2632041","display_name":"Metaverse","level":3,"score":0.7684000134468079},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777365542","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83090","display_name":"Avatar","level":2,"score":0.7046999931335449},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C148417208","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4825882","display_name":"Authentication (law)","level":2,"score":0.6223000288009644},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C178005623","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q308859","display_name":"Anonymity","level":2,"score":0.5985999703407288},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C38652104","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3510521","display_name":"Computer security","level":1,"score":0.5882999897003174},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780385302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q367158","display_name":"Protocol (science)","level":3,"score":0.5209000110626221},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C99138194","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q183427","display_name":"Hash function","level":2,"score":0.4796000123023987},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C178489894","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8789","display_name":"Cryptography","level":2,"score":0.4449999928474426},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C48145219","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1335365","display_name":"Security token","level":2,"score":0.43709999322891235},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C48798503","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q877546","display_name":"Reputation","level":2,"score":0.4275999963283539},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C189950617","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q937228","display_name":"Property (philosophy)","level":2,"score":0.37950000166893005},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C33884865","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1254335","display_name":"Cryptographic protocol","level":3,"score":0.366100013256073},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C21564112","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4825885","display_name":"Authentication protocol","level":3,"score":0.3610000014305115},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15927051","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q246593","display_name":"Cryptographic primitive","level":4,"score":0.3458999991416931},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C93996380","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q44127","display_name":"Server","level":2,"score":0.34360000491142273},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C118463975","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q220849","display_name":"Digital signature","level":3,"score":0.3359000086784363},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780193096","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3543662","display_name":"Possession (linguistics)","level":2,"score":0.3199999928474426},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779343474","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3109175","display_name":"Context (archaeology)","level":2,"score":0.3050000071525574},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C108827166","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q175975","display_name":"Internet privacy","level":1,"score":0.296999990940094},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C203062551","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q201339","display_name":"Public-key cryptography","level":3,"score":0.29190000891685486},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776788033","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q320769","display_name":"Eavesdropping","level":2,"score":0.2913999855518341},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C136764020","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q466","display_name":"World Wide Web","level":1,"score":0.29120001196861267},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C107457646","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q207434","display_name":"Human\u2013computer interaction","level":1,"score":0.2890999913215637},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C108710211","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11538","display_name":"Mathematical proof","level":2,"score":0.2883000075817108},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C124978682","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1201019","display_name":"Proof of concept","level":2,"score":0.2791999876499176},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C75291252","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1315756","display_name":"TRACE (psycholinguistics)","level":2,"score":0.26739999651908875},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C94284585","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q228184","display_name":"Random oracle","level":4,"score":0.2574000060558319},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780378061","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q25351891","display_name":"Service (business)","level":2,"score":0.2533999979496002},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C172195944","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q541265","display_name":"Ubiquitous computing","level":2,"score":0.2506999969482422}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1109/tdsc.2026.3667573","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tdsc.2026.3667573","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S133795288","display_name":"IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing","issn_l":"1545-5971","issn":["1545-5971","1941-0018","2160-9209"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320439","host_organization_name":"IEEE Computer Society","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320439","https://openalex.org/P4310319808"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["IEEE Computer Society","Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing","raw_type":"journal-article"}],"best_oa_location":null,"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[],"funders":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320334593","display_name":"Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada","ror":"https://ror.org/01h531d29"}],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":false,"pdf":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"The":[0,305],"metaverse":[1,56,144,157,246,277,348],"transforms":[2],"how":[3],"individuals":[4],"interact,":[5],"work,":[6],"and":[7,19,45,68,106,116,133,204,224,238,294],"engage":[8],"in":[9,15,40,54,92,124,174,267],"virtual":[10,41],"environments,":[11],"creating":[12],"new":[13],"opportunities":[14],"gaming,":[16],"education,":[17],"e-commerce,":[18],"social":[20,67],"networking.":[21],"At":[22],"the":[23,61,86,93,125,156,181,198,205,230,252,314],"core":[24],"of":[25,33,63,176,201,208,271,316,326,337],"this":[26,96],"experience":[27],"are":[28],"avatars":[29,49,64,150,173],"(i.e.,":[30],"digital":[31],"representations":[32],"users":[34,145],"that":[35,129,214,288],"serve":[36],"as":[37,75],"their":[38,187,195],"proxies":[39],"spaces).":[42],"Ensuring":[43],"secure":[44],"privacy-preserving":[46],"communication":[47],"between":[48,263,308],"presents":[50],"critical":[51],"challenges,":[52],"particularly":[53],"protecting":[55],"user":[57],"privacy":[58],"by":[59,166,234],"preventing":[60],"linking":[62],"to":[65,81,146,275,334],"users'":[66],"professional":[69],"lives.":[70],"Adopting":[71],"anonymous":[72],"schemes":[73,78],"such":[74],"ring":[76],"signature":[77],"requires":[79],"access":[80],"all":[82],"public":[83],"keys":[84],"within":[85],"anonymity":[87],"set,":[88],"which":[89],"is":[90],"impractical":[91],"metaverse.":[94],"In":[95],"paper,":[97],"we":[98,211,228,250],"propose":[99],"<bold":[100],"xmlns:mml=\"http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML\"":[101,104,108,113,118,122,216,241,281,318],"xmlns:xlink=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\">SPARTA</b>":[102],"(<italic":[103],"xmlns:xlink=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\">S</i>ecure":[105],"<italic":[107,112,117,121],"xmlns:xlink=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\">P</i>rivacy-preserving":[109],"protocol":[110,128,253,264],"with":[111,155,244],"xmlns:xlink=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\">R</i>ole":[114],"separation":[115],"xmlns:xlink=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\">T</i>rustworthiness":[119],"for":[120,329,346],"xmlns:xlink=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\">A</i>vatars":[123],"metaverse),":[126],"a":[127,168,177,190,322,335],"enables":[130],"avatar":[131,135,222,286],"authentication":[132,247,278,287],"maintains":[134],"unlinkability.":[136],"By":[137],"leveraging":[138],"mercurial":[139,209],"signatures,":[140,210],"our":[141],"approach":[142],"allows":[143],"generate":[147],"multiple":[148],"unlinkable":[149,285],"without":[151,297],"requiring":[152],"repeated":[153],"registration":[154],"service":[158],"provider,":[159],"thereby":[160],"enabling":[161],"seamless":[162],"role":[163,292],"separation.":[164],"Additionally,":[165,227],"using":[167,254],"time-based":[169,182],"hash":[170,183],"chain,":[171],"only":[172],"possession":[175],"reputation":[178],"token":[179],"from":[180],"chain":[184],"can":[185],"submit":[186],"feedback":[188],"on":[189,194,299],"smart":[191],"contract":[192],"based":[193],"interactions.":[196],"Given":[197],"soundness":[199],"property":[200,207],"zero-knowledge":[202],"proof":[203],"origin-hiding":[206],"formally":[212],"prove":[213],"<inline-formula":[215,240,280,317],"xmlns:xlink=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\"><tex-math>${\\sf":[217,242,282,319],"SPARTA}$</tex-math></inline-formula>":[218,243,283],"achieves":[219,289],"mutual":[220,290],"authentication,":[221,291],"unlinkability,":[223],"penalization":[225],"enforcement.":[226],"analyze":[229],"performance":[231],"overheads":[232],"introduced":[233],"its":[235,344],"cryptographic":[236],"primitives":[237],"compare":[239],"existing":[245,276],"protocols.":[248],"Furthermore,":[249],"implement":[251],"socket":[255],"programming.":[256],"This":[257],"implementation":[258,307],"simulates":[259],"real-time":[260],"message":[261],"exchanges":[262],"entities,":[265],"resulting":[266],"an":[268,300],"end-to-end":[269],"latency":[270],"105":[272],"ms.":[273],"Compared":[274],"frameworks,":[279],"provides":[284],"separation,":[293],"data":[295],"sovereignty":[296],"reliance":[298],"online":[301],"trusted":[302],"third":[303],"party.":[304],"concurrent":[306,331],"two":[309],"Raspberry":[310],"Pi":[311],"devices":[312],"demonstrates":[313],"scalability":[315],"SPARTA}$</tex-math></inline-formula>,":[320],"achieving":[321],"total":[323],"completion":[324],"time":[325],"17.338":[327],"seconds":[328],"1000":[330],"authentications,":[332],"corresponding":[333],"throughput":[336],"approximately":[338],"57.7":[339],"authentications":[340],"per":[341],"second,":[342],"confirming":[343],"practicality":[345],"large-scale":[347],"environments.":[349]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-06-11T09:08:48.828518","created_date":"2026-02-25T00:00:00"}