Linkability estimation between subjects and message contents using formal concepts

In this paper, we examine how conclusions about linkability threats can be drawn by analyzing message contents and subject knowledge in arbitrary communication systems. At first, we define messages described by their contents as formal contexts. Then, we define subjects described by their knowledge as further formal contexts. Finally, we show that concept lattices, which are achieved by applying Formal Concept Analysis to the concatenation of these formal contexts, can be used in order to draw conclusions about correlations, and therefore linkability, between contents of messages and knowledge of subjects. The goal is to define formal specifications which can be utilized in privacy enhancing identity management systems in order to support users in the choice of data items which are to be disclosed to a communication partner.

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