Adap-UIL: A Multi-Feature-Aware User Identity Linkage Framework Based on an Adaptive Graph Walk

User Identity Linkage (UIL) has emerged as a focal point of research in the field of network analysis and plays a critical role in the governance of cyberspace; related technologies can also be extended for applications in traffic safety and traffic management. The traditional random walk-based UIL...

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Main Authors: Xiaqing Xie, Hangjiang Guo, Yueming Lu, Tianle Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Applied Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/12/6762
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author Xiaqing Xie
Hangjiang Guo
Yueming Lu
Tianle Zhang
author_facet Xiaqing Xie
Hangjiang Guo
Yueming Lu
Tianle Zhang
author_sort Xiaqing Xie
collection DOAJ
description User Identity Linkage (UIL) has emerged as a focal point of research in the field of network analysis and plays a critical role in the governance of cyberspace; related technologies can also be extended for applications in traffic safety and traffic management. The traditional random walk-based UIL method has achieved a balance between performance and interpretability, but it still faces several challenges, such as low discriminability of nodes, instability of feature extraction, and missing features in matching scenarios. To address these challenges, this paper presents Adap-UIL, a multi-feature UIL framework based on an Adaptive Graph Walk. First, we design and implement an Adaptive Graph Walk method based on the Restarted Affinity Coefficient (RAC), which enhances both the neighborhood and higher-order features of nodes, and then we integrate cross-network features to form Adap-UIL with a more enriched node representation, facilitating user identity linkage. Experimental results on real datasets show that the Adap-UIL model outperforms the benchmark models, especially in the P@5 and P@10 metrics by 5 percentage points, and it captures key features more efficiently and effectively.
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id doaj-art-d6982ef9995e41648c4beeffbf3b1bbe
institution Kabale University
issn 2076-3417
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher MDPI AG
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series Applied Sciences
spelling doaj-art-d6982ef9995e41648c4beeffbf3b1bbe2025-08-20T03:32:28ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-06-011512676210.3390/app15126762Adap-UIL: A Multi-Feature-Aware User Identity Linkage Framework Based on an Adaptive Graph WalkXiaqing Xie0Hangjiang Guo1Yueming Lu2Tianle Zhang3Key Laboratory of Trustworthy Distributed Computing and Service (BUPT), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100876, ChinaSchool of Cybersecurity Security, Beijing University of Posts and Communications, Beijing 100876, ChinaKey Laboratory of Trustworthy Distributed Computing and Service (BUPT), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100876, ChinaKey Laboratory of Trustworthy Distributed Computing and Service (BUPT), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100876, ChinaUser Identity Linkage (UIL) has emerged as a focal point of research in the field of network analysis and plays a critical role in the governance of cyberspace; related technologies can also be extended for applications in traffic safety and traffic management. The traditional random walk-based UIL method has achieved a balance between performance and interpretability, but it still faces several challenges, such as low discriminability of nodes, instability of feature extraction, and missing features in matching scenarios. To address these challenges, this paper presents Adap-UIL, a multi-feature UIL framework based on an Adaptive Graph Walk. First, we design and implement an Adaptive Graph Walk method based on the Restarted Affinity Coefficient (RAC), which enhances both the neighborhood and higher-order features of nodes, and then we integrate cross-network features to form Adap-UIL with a more enriched node representation, facilitating user identity linkage. Experimental results on real datasets show that the Adap-UIL model outperforms the benchmark models, especially in the P@5 and P@10 metrics by 5 percentage points, and it captures key features more efficiently and effectively.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/12/6762restarted affinity coefficientuser alignmentuser identity linkage
spellingShingle Xiaqing Xie
Hangjiang Guo
Yueming Lu
Tianle Zhang
Adap-UIL: A Multi-Feature-Aware User Identity Linkage Framework Based on an Adaptive Graph Walk
Applied Sciences
restarted affinity coefficient
user alignment
user identity linkage
title Adap-UIL: A Multi-Feature-Aware User Identity Linkage Framework Based on an Adaptive Graph Walk
title_full Adap-UIL: A Multi-Feature-Aware User Identity Linkage Framework Based on an Adaptive Graph Walk
title_fullStr Adap-UIL: A Multi-Feature-Aware User Identity Linkage Framework Based on an Adaptive Graph Walk
title_full_unstemmed Adap-UIL: A Multi-Feature-Aware User Identity Linkage Framework Based on an Adaptive Graph Walk
title_short Adap-UIL: A Multi-Feature-Aware User Identity Linkage Framework Based on an Adaptive Graph Walk
title_sort adap uil a multi feature aware user identity linkage framework based on an adaptive graph walk
topic restarted affinity coefficient
user alignment
user identity linkage
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/12/6762
work_keys_str_mv AT xiaqingxie adapuilamultifeatureawareuseridentitylinkageframeworkbasedonanadaptivegraphwalk
AT hangjiangguo adapuilamultifeatureawareuseridentitylinkageframeworkbasedonanadaptivegraphwalk
AT yueminglu adapuilamultifeatureawareuseridentitylinkageframeworkbasedonanadaptivegraphwalk
AT tianlezhang adapuilamultifeatureawareuseridentitylinkageframeworkbasedonanadaptivegraphwalk