VALLE: Novel Privacy-Preserving PNT Processing Techniques

Last Updated: 27/01/2025 07:46     Created at: 27/01/2025 07:41

Slides of NAVISP EL1-060 now available.

On January 23rd, 2025, GMV, in collaboration with RISE , presented the results of the NAVISP EL1-060 project titled “VALLE: Novel Privacy-Preserving PNT Processing Techniques.” This project focused on the development of innovative techniques to balance data privacy with functional performance in Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) applications.

The primary objectives of VALLE included identifying privacy-sensitive PNT use cases, developing multiple privacy-preserving processing concepts, and designing a demonstrator to validate these solutions. Three key techniques were explored: anonymization, homomorphic encryption, and secure multiparty computation (SMPC). These techniques were applied to use cases such as collaborative positioning, crowd management, and secure data processing for GNSS signal correlation, achieving high accuracy while safeguarding user privacy.

The demonstrator verified the feasibility of these approaches, showcasing significant results:

• Secure multiparty computation enabled privacy-preserving density calculations for crowd management applications.
• Homomorphic encryption allowed GNSS signal correlation in encrypted domains, opening pathways for secure signal processing.
• Anonymization techniques supported collaborative positioning, achieving high-accuracy PVT solutions while protecting user identities.

Performance analysis demonstrated the computational efficiency of these methods, with results validated against standardized solutions. The red team analysis confirmed the system's robustness and absence of vulnerabilities in privacy-related processes.

The project concluded with promising results for both space and non-space applications, including urban crowd management, IoT, and smart city features. Future work aims to enhance the technology readiness level of VALLE's solutions. 

The project was part of ESA’s NAVISP Element 1, which supports innovation and disruptive technologies across the PNT value chain. The slides from the final presentation can be found here.