May 25 2026
Work Package 6: Anonymous Survey & Multi-Party Computation
Building a Privacy-Preserving Framework for Semiconductor Supply Chains
Within the SC4EU project, Work Package 6 (WP6) focuses on the development of a flexible and privacy-preserving Multi-Party Computation (MPC) Survey Framework that enables the True Demand survey platform to operate in a fully anonymous and secure way.
The framework addresses one of the major challenges within semiconductor supply chains: how to securely aggregate meaningful demand information across stakeholders while ensuring that commercially sensitive participant data remains fully confidential. By leveraging MPC technology, WP6 helps bridge the gap between academic research approaches and practical industrial requirements.
The work package aims to create a scalable and secure environment where semiconductor manufacturers, Tier-1 suppliers, and OEMs can contribute demand-related information without exposing confidential business data. Key performance objectives include near-linear scalability as participant numbers increase, minimal system interruptions or failures, and participation from at least one company per supply chain tier and branch.
Complete MPC Framework
Rebuilt from Scratch One of the most important achievements during the second reporting period was the successful redevelopment of the entire MPC Survey Framework following the withdrawal of the original technology partner TACEO.
To ensure continuity and project progress, Infineon together with subcontractor Opaix rebuilt the complete framework from the ground up during project months M1–M24. The newly developed architecture consists of one Management Server, one MongoDB database, and two + k computing nodes.
This work resulted in a stable and fully operational technical infrastructure capable of supporting secure and anonymous survey execution across multiple supply chain stakeholders. The redevelopment effort represented a major technical milestone and ensured that the platform remained aligned with the project’s privacy and scalability objectives.
Secure Deployment and Advanced Privacy Protection
The MPC framework was fully deployed on a virtual server infrastructure located in Germany and protected through dedicated firewall mechanisms, HTTPS protocol enforcement, and strict access-control policies.
A central component of the framework is its privacy-preserving design. Participant inputs are split into two cryptographically independent secret shares before transmission, ensuring that sensitive information never leaves the local web client in plain form.
To further strengthen security, WP6 implemented a robust hybrid encryption strategy combining several protection layers. These include information-theoretic privacy through secret sharing, RSA-2048 encryption to protect analyst shares, resilience against database compromise, and encrypted network-level communication to mitigate eavesdropping risks.
This approach ensures that even in the event of full database exposure, original participant data cannot be reconstructed, significantly increasing trust and security for participating organisations.
Survey Operations and Functional Platform
Deployment During the second project year, all six survey types defined within WP5 became fully operational. These surveys cover SEMI, OEM, and Tier-1 categories across both monthly and yearly formats.
The platform allows analysts to configure new surveys through a dropdown-based interface that automatically connects selected templates with the corresponding question sets, MPC operations, and aggregation routines. This functionality improves operational efficiency while supporting scalable deployment across different supply chain scenarios.
To improve usability and reduce repetitive data entry, downloadable Excel templates linked to WP5 transformation files were also introduced. Participants are able to complete survey data offline and upload it directly to the platform.
Importantly, only normalized trend data — rather than absolute commercial figures — are uploaded to the system. This ensures privacy-compliant handling of commercially sensitive information while still enabling meaningful forecasting and analysis.
Large-Scale Testing and SSI Authentication Integration
A major milestone during the reporting period was the successful execution of the first large-scale internal test run involving more than 20 participants.
- The pilot successfully validated:
- Survey logic
- Encryption performance
- System stability
- Frontend usability
- Overall user experience
Feedback collected from participants regarding question clarity and frontend usability will be integrated into future refinements and validation activities.
In parallel, WP6 integrated a Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) authentication mechanism into the MPC framework in collaboration with SAP and through WP2 APIs. This functionality enables participants to securely authenticate themselves using reusable and standards-compliant digital identities, further strengthening trust, interoperability, and scalability within the platform ecosystem.
Strong Consortium Collaboration
WP6 brought together expertise from a broad consortium of industrial and academic partners. Key contributions included:
- IFAG (Infineon) and Opaix leading MPC framework development, deployment, and SSI integration
- SAP contributing the Self-Sovereign Identity platform and anonymous voucher-based submission mechanisms
- NXP supporting survey formulation, stress testing, and validation activities - ASML contributing to testing and anonymity discussions
- STM supporting survey validation and use case testing
- TU and Flostock contributing to aggregation definitions and OEM outreach
Throughout the reporting period, WP6 also maintained close collaboration with WP5 regarding survey design and requirements, as well as with WP2 for knowledge graph and API integration activities.
Looking Ahead
The next phase of WP6 will focus on migrating from the current two-party computation model to a fully distributed three-node MPC network with independently hosted nodes. Additional work will include:
- UI and UX improvements based on participant feedback
- Further stress testing and platform validation
- Continued integration work with SAP’s SSI authentication platform
WP6 has successfully progressed from technical redevelopment to large-scale validation, delivering a securely deployed and privacy-preserving MPC Survey Framework ready for broader deployment across semiconductor supply chains.
