KelpMe v0.0.1 → KEy-Loss Protection (KELP) for Sui

Losing web3 private keys often results in irrecoverable asset loss. Existing solutions are mainly proactive, requiring complex backups that most users don’t adopt in practice. The KelpMe project extends the KELP (Key-Loss Protection) protocol, originally proposed by Meta Research to offer a fully reactive recovery mechanism without prior setup.

KelpMe allows users to reclaim assets by initiating a three-phase smart contract (Commit → Reveal → Claim or Challenge). We enhance this by introducing optional Guardians and cover traffic techniques to generate decoy claims, making it harder for attackers to exploit the system. Additionally, fee-based penalties for false claims and malicious attacks are imposed, discouraging abuse. Our unique key rotation feature lets users regain control of an account without moving funds, ideal for frequently used addresses and possible due to account abstraction.

Unlike traditional solutions, our approach is entirely reactive, eliminating the need for complex backups while providing robust defense mechanisms like cover traffic. This ensures that even in cases of key loss or transaction errors, users have a secure and streamlined method to recover their assets. This makes our solution a game-changer in asset recovery, significantly improving both security and usability for blockchain users.

This Sui Move module provides a reactive key-loss protection (KELP) mechanism for Sui account owners. Practically we implemented an innovative fraud-proof system for key recovery, utilizing Sui's account abstraction functionality to enforce secure time-locked transactions. It includes deterrents like claim fees and optional guardians to prevent malicious actors from gaming the system. To summarize, KelpMe offers a groundbreaking solution to one of the most critical issues in decentralized finance: secure and reliable asset recovery.

KelpMe is a collaborative work, inspired by the Bybit/DMCC Dubai Hackathon, and the team consists of students from AUS (American University of Sharjah), industry leaders and the Mysten Labs cryptography team, along with co-authors of the original KELP algorithm.

Links

• KELP scientific paper
• KelpMe pitch deck
• KelpMe website (dev access needed, continuous updates, testnet)
• KelpMe on Twitter / X

Overview

KELP operates on a commit-reveal scheme with a challenge period. Guardians play a crucial role in confirming recovery attempts, offering additional security.

1. Commit: The account owner generates a commit hash using their original address, a recovery address, and a nonce. They then submit this hash along with a commit fee to the KelpRegistry.
2. Reveal: After a specified reveal window, guardians can reveal the recovery data (claimant address and nonce) associated with the commit hash. The earliest commit wins.
3. Challenge: Within the challenge window, the original owner can challenge a recovery attempt, effectively cancelling it and reclaiming the accumulated fees.
4. Claim: If no challenge is made within the challenge window, the claimant can claim the account, transferring ownership to the recovery address.

Key Features

• Commit-Reveal Scheme: Enhances security by requiring a two-step recovery process.
• Guardian Network: Introduces trusted parties to verify recovery attempts.
• Challenge Period: Allows the original owner to dispute unauthorized recovery attempts.
• Fee Mechanism: Discourages spamming and incentivizes guardian participation.
• Dynamic Field Support: Allows users to store arbitrary objects and coins in their Kelp object, which can then be claimed back by the original owner or transferred to the new owner after a succesful claim.
• Versioning: Includes versioning for future upgrades and compatibility.

Usage

Initialization

The module is initialized by calling the init function. This publishes the KelpRegistry shared object.

Enabling KELP

Account owners can enable KELP by calling the create_kelp function, specifying the reveal fee, challenge window, and a set of guardian addresses. This publishes a Kelp shared object linked to their account.

Recovery Process

1. Commit: Call the commit function with the commit hash and the commit fee.
2. Reveal: After the reveal window, a guardian calls the reveal function with the recovery data and reveal fee.
3. Challenge (Optional): Within the challenge window, the original owner can call the challenge function to cancel the recovery attempt.
4. Claim: If no challenge is made, the claimant calls the claim function to take ownership of the account.

Functions

Core Functions

• init: Initializes the KELP module.
• create_kelp: Creates and publishes a Kelp object for an account.
• commit: Submits a commit hash to initiate recovery.
• reveal: Reveals the recovery data.
• claim: Claims the account after a successful reveal.
• challenge: Challenges a recovery attempt within the challenge window.
• collect_fees: Allows the owner to collect accumulated fees.

Helper Functions

• bump_kelp_version: Updates the Kelp object version.
• bump_kelp_registry_version: Updates the KelpRegistry version.
• is_kelp_version_valid: Checks if the Kelp object version is valid.
• is_kelp_registry_version_valid: Checks if the KelpRegistry version is valid.
• add_guardian: Adds a guardian to the Kelp object.
• remove_guardian: Removes a guardian from the Kelp object.
• tongle_enable: Enables or disables the KELP recovery feature.
• accept_payment: Accepts payments.
• withdraw: Withdraws coins.
• withdraw_and_accept: Withdraws coins and accepts payments.
• withdraw_all: Withdraws all coins.
• accept_object: Accepts object.
• get_object: Gets an object stored within the KELP resource.

Security Considerations

• Guardian Selection: Careful selection of guardians is crucial for security.
• Nonce Management: Secure generation and storage of the nonce is essential to prevent replay attacks.

This README provides a high-level overview of the KELP module. Refer to the inline code comments for more detailed information.