Security Research
Cryptographic E-Voting Platform with Zero-Knowledge Proofs
Developed a full-stack prototype e-voting platform implementing advanced cryptographic techniques to address key e-voting security challenges: ballot secrecy, voter authentication, double-voting prevention, and coercion resistance.
Objective
Create a cryptographically secure voting system that ensures ballot confidentiality, verifiable voting, tamper detection, and resistance to common attack vectors.
Tools & Technologies
Python
Flask
PGP Encryption
RSA (2048-bit)
RSA-PSS
HTML/CSS/JavaScript
RESTful APIs
Burp Suite
Methodology
1
Security requirements analysis
2
Cryptographic protocol design
3
Backend development (Flask)
4
Frontend implementation
5
Security controls integration
6
Threat modeling (STRIDE)
7
Penetration testing
Key Outcomes & Impact
- Implemented PGP encryption (2048-bit RSA) for ballot confidentiality and RSA-PSS digital signatures for voter authentication
- Integrated Zero-Knowledge Proof concepts allowing voters to verify their vote was counted without revealing their choice
- Built cryptographic commitments to prevent double voting and hash chains for tamper detection
- Developed full-stack solution: Flask backend with RESTful API + responsive HTML/CSS/JS frontend
- Implemented comprehensive security controls: rate limiting, input validation, SQL injection prevention, XSS filtering, CSRF tokens
- Conducted security testing using STRIDE threat modeling framework and hands-on pentesting with Burp Suite
- Validated resilience against authentication bypass, session hijacking, cryptographic manipulation, timing attacks, and nonce reuse
Lessons Learned
Cryptographic systems require defense-in-depth approaches combining multiple security layers. Zero-knowledge proofs provide powerful privacy guarantees but require careful implementation. Comprehensive security testing must address both cryptographic and traditional web application vulnerabilities.
Skills Demonstrated
Python Development
Security Engineering
Web Application Testing
Burp Suite Professional