StopSpread: A Privacy-Preserving Contact Tracing Application using the SpreadMeNot Protocol

Abstract

The digital arena has proved to be vital in our progress to solve humanities’ greatest problems. The pandemic has given rise to advanced digital contact tracing solutions that were essential in helping to prevent the spread of the novel COVID-19 virus. New protocols and applications were developed by different sectors to improve the efficiency of contact tracing. As dependency and usage of these applications grew, so did the concerns on their privacy. Many of the contact tracing solutions that were being used were not delivering the needed protection and privacy that their users earned. That prompted the need to implement a privacy preserving application based on the newly developed SpreadMeNot Protocol. This paper showcases the implementation of the SpreadMeNot protocol through an Android application StopSpread. By presenting the results performed from multiple tests made on the application, the hope is to prove the that SpreadMeNot is a viable contact tracing solution that can stand as being the ground for the future of privacy-preserving digital contact tracing. iii

Date of Award	2022
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	HBKU College of Science and Engineering