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arXiv · 2606.04411

Pepper: High-bandwidth and Scalable Anonymous Broadcast with Cryptographic Privacy

Chenghao Li·Haoyuan Wang·Xianghang Mi
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Abstract

We present Pepper, a high-bandwidth anonymous broadcast protocol that provides cryptographic sender anonymity against global adversaries. Pepper builds on a two-server DC-net architecture but introduces three key innovations: a self-contained anonymous registration subprotocol using verifiable distributed point functions, support for batch messaging via distributed multi-point functions, and a lightweight access control mechanism based on secret-shared proofs. Unlike prior systems, Pepper eliminates the need for external dialing services and allows each broadcaster to send multiple messages per epoch with a single audit, significantly improving throughput for large data transfers. Our implementation demonstrates that Pepper achieves millisecond-level registration audits, scales efficiently to thousands of channels, and delivers 1.2--20$\times$ higher effective messaging rates than state-of-the-art alternatives. Furthermore, Pepper is designed for practical deployment, with natural compatibility for co-deployment alongside Tor and federated social networks.

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Chenghao Li, Haoyuan Wang, Xianghang Mi. 2026-06-03. Pepper: High-bandwidth and Scalable Anonymous Broadcast with Cryptographic Privacy. https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.04411

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