Malicious Security

Definition ∞ Malicious security in cryptography refers to a security model that considers an adversary capable of arbitrary, harmful behavior. This adversary can deviate from protocol specifications in any way to achieve their objectives, including active manipulation of data or system processes. Designing systems with malicious security ensures robustness against sophisticated and unconstrained attacks. It represents the strongest form of cryptographic security.
Context ∞ Achieving malicious security is a primary goal in the design of secure multi-party computation protocols and zero-knowledge proof systems within the digital asset space. Current research focuses on constructing protocols that maintain privacy and correctness even when a significant portion of participants act maliciously. This security level is paramount for applications handling sensitive financial data or critical blockchain operations, ensuring integrity against determined attackers.