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On this page, we’ll provide an overview of concepts core to Arcium, including:
  1. MPC eXecution Environments (MXEs): Virtual, encrypted environments for executing encrypted computations, allowing developers to customize the protocol, trust assumptions, hardware, and more.
  2. arxOS: The encrypted, distributed operating system powering Arcium, that makes it easy for anyone to run encrypted computations. It relies upon other concepts central to Arcium and covered below, including Arx Nodes and Clusters.
  3. Arcis: Our intuitive programming framework for making any application privacy-preserving and encrypted.
MXEs, arxOS and Arcis

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Understanding the Encrypted Supercomputer

To package the capabilities and functions of Arcium, we describe the network as an “encrypted supercomputer.” Analogous to a traditional computing stack, each node acts as a single processor contributing to a single encrypted supercomputer. Through the assembly and unification of all these processors does the supercomputer materialize with its unique features. arxOS is a distributed, encrypted operating system (Arcium’s network of Nodes), responsible for executing computations. MXEs (MPC eXecution Environments) are the supercomputer’s virtual machines— highly configurable environments where computations are defined and securely executed. Lastly, Arcis is Arcium’s Rust-based developer framework.

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Arcium and Arx Nodes

The Arcium Network consists of decentralized Arx Nodes that perform computations on encrypted data. Derived from the Latin word “arx,” meaning fortress, each Arx Node represents a secure point in the network. However, the true power of Arx Nodes comes from their collaboration within the decentralized network.
  • Staking and Slashing: To ensure the integrity of the network, Arx Nodes are required to stake collateral. Misbehavior or deviation from the protocol results in penalties, such as the slashing of staked tokens. This incentivizes nodes to operate honestly and maintain the security of the network.

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Multi-Party Computation (MPC)

Multi-Party Computation (MPC) is the cryptographic backbone of Arcium. It allows multiple parties to jointly compute functions while keeping their inputs private, preserving data confidentiality throughout the process.
  • Secret Sharing is a key cryptographic method within MPC, used to split data into fragments distributed across Arx Nodes. No individual node has access to the full data,
  • Threshold Encryption ensures that the decryption process can only occur when a minimum number of authorized parties collaborate. In Arcium, this method allows sensitive data to remain protected, requiring a specific threshold of nodes to decrypt data during computations. This enhances security in collaborative computations.

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Trustless Execution

In the Arcium Network, computations are executed in a trustless manner, meaning that no central authority is needed to verify the integrity of the data processing. Instead, cryptographic mechanisms, such as MPC, ensure that computations are correct. Nodes are required to stake collateral to participate, and any deviation from the protocol results in penalties (e.g., slashing of stake). This trustless system guarantees that data remains confidential and computation outcomes are accurate.

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Clusters and MXEs (MPC eXecution Environments)

Clusters in the Arcium Network are groups of Arx Nodes that collaborate to execute MPC tasks. Each computation is managed within a MPC eXecution Environment (MXE), which sets the parameters for the task, including data handling, security protocols, and the designated Cluster responsible for processing. Typically, a single Cluster can support multiple MXEs concurrently, allowing for efficient resource use and workload distribution. Additionally, MXEs can be configured to utilize multiple Clusters, enabling seamless transitions if one Cluster becomes busy or temporarily unavailable, thereby ensuring high availability and flexibility.

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Byzantine Fault Tolerance

The Arcium Network is designed with Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT), which allows it to function correctly even in the presence of malicious or failed nodes. BFT ensures that the network can continue to operate securely even if some nodes act unpredictably, ensuring reliability and continuous operation in a decentralized environment.

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Epochs

Timing in the Arcium Network is organized into fixed-duration Epochs, which serve as the framework for scheduling computations, distributing rewards, and managing token lock-ups. This consistent timing ensures the efficient and fair execution of tasks across the network.