A JIFF file represents a specific method for securely performing multiparty computation (MPC) within a web browser. It enables multiple parties to jointly compute a function over their private inputs while keeping those inputs secret from each other. The acronym “JIFF” stands for “JavaScript Interactive Functional Framework” and it leverages cryptographic techniques to achieve privacy during the computation. For example, several individuals could calculate the average of their salaries without revealing their individual income to the other participants.
The significance of this approach lies in its ability to perform secure data analysis and collaborative computation without compromising data confidentiality. This has profound implications for various applications, including secure auctions, private data mining, and collaborative statistical analysis. Historically, MPC was computationally intensive and difficult to implement. JIFF offers a more accessible and practical solution, particularly within web-based environments, democratizing access to secure computation techniques.
