A Reputation Based Peer-to-Peer Security Model

At present, the Peer-to-Peer technology has achieved great success. Thousands of users are using P2P applications to share information and resources. The key factor of the success of P2P technology is its high degree of anonymity. While, this anonymity brings a lot of Internet crime. To make more use of P2P technology, experts in the field of computer security are trying their best to design security models for P2P networks. However, there is no one mature security model which can be widely used in various applications of P2P.The authentication mechanisms used in P2P networks are often either weak authentication or strong authentication. Weak authentication mechanism is flexible and convenient, applied well in P2P applications with lower security requirements. Strong authentication mechanism provides better security and normative management. It is suitable for P2P applications with strict security requirements and low efficiency. The new security model will consider the two P2P network authentication mechanisms with better adaptability.Reputation is used to describe trust of the trust management in P2P networks. Store the digital certificate with reputation value in both the evaluating side and evaluated side can guarantee the integrity, security and undeniable of the reputation value.Finally, a new P2P network security Model is given based on the certificate theory and trust management theory. It describes the design and realization of the model, and gives a detailed security analysis of the model.