[論文レビュー] The Stateless Pattern: Ephemeral Coordination as the Third Pillar of Digital Sovereignty

Sean Carlin, Kevin Curran|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jan 25, 2026

Cybersecurity and Cyber Warfare Studies被引用数 0

ひとこと要約

The paper proposes the Stateless Pattern, a new network topology with ephemeral relays and client-side cryptography that replaces centralized state custody, backed by live deployment data and zero-knowledge privacy claims.

ABSTRACT

For the past three decades, the architecture of the internet has rested on two primary pillars - communication on the World Wide Web and Value such as Bitcoin/Distributed ledgers. However, a third critical pillar, Private Coordination has remained dependent on centralised intermediaries, effectively creating a surveillance architecture by default. This paper introduces the 'Stateless Pattern', a novel network topology that replaces the traditional 'Fortress' security model (database-centric) with a 'Mist' model (ephemeral relays). By utilising client-side cryptography and self-destructing server instances, we demonstrate a protocol where the server acts as a blind medium rather than a custodian of state. We present empirical data from a live deployment (https://signingroom.io), analysing over 1,900 requests and cache-hit ratios to validate the system's 'Zero-Knowledge' properties and institutional utility. The findings suggest that digital privacy can be commoditised as a utility, technically enforcing specific articles of the universal declaration of human rights not through policy, but through physics.

研究の動機と目的

• Motivate privacy as the third pillar alongside web and value networks.
• Introduce the Stateless Pattern topology that replaces fortress-style state with ephemeral relays.
• Demonstrate feasibility and privacy properties via a live deployment and empirical data.
• Position privacy as a utility that can be technically enforced through the proposed architecture and physics.

提案手法

• Define the Mist model of ephemeral coordination as an alternative to fortress (database-centric) security.
• Use client-side cryptography and self-destructing server instances so servers act as blind media rather than state custodians.
• Present and analyze empirical data from a live deployment with ~1,900 requests and cache-hit ratios.
• Demonstrate zero-knowledge-like properties and institutional utility through the deployed protocol.
• Release the implementation under AGPLv3 with publicly auditable source code for verification and self-hosting.

実験結果

リサーチクエスチョン

• RQ1 How can ephemeral coordination provide privacy without centralized state custody?
• RQ2 What are the performance and privacy trade-offs of the Stateless Pattern in real deployments?
• RQ3 Can the system demonstrate zero-knowledge-like properties in practice?
• RQ4 How does this approach support digital sovereignty and align with human rights principles?

主な発見

• Introduces the Stateless Pattern topology, replacing fortress-style state with ephemeral relays.
• Client-side cryptography and self-destructing servers enable a blind medium rather than state custody.
• Empirical data from a live deployment (analyzed ~1,900 requests) supports the approach’s privacy and utility claims.
• The server acts as a blind medium, not a custodian of state, enabling a new privacy paradigm.
• The work suggests privacy can be commoditized as a utility, approached through the system’s physical properties.