Devising a method for rapid data retrieval using explorers for blockchain analysis

Abstract

The object of this study is blockchain explorers and their usefulness in efficiently gathering data for blockchain network analysis. The process of blockchain analysis typically involves deploying and synchronizing a blockchain node, which requires significant computational resources and time for synchronization. Analyzing multiple blockchain networks simultaneously demands substantial effort and requires even greater costs. The developed method involves utilizing publicly accessible blockchain explorers, which allows for rapid data retrieval with minimal computational resources for further analysis. Additionally, obtaining supplementary information from blockchain explorers provides valuable details that may be inaccessible using traditional data retrieval methods. The efficiency of the proposed method was verified through the development of a prototype system. Data was collected for 14 specified blockchain networks to analyze smart contracts within these networks. Information about accounts (including balance statistics) was gathered, smart contracts were identified among the accounts, data on existing tokens owned by smart contracts was obtained, and bytecode and source code (where available) of contracts were collected and decompiled. The process took nearly 24 hours on a cloud computing machine with minimal configuration. Based on the collected data, an example smart contract was analyzed to demonstrate the completeness of the process. The results of this research minimize computational resource expenses and allow for a simplified and rapid data gathering process without manual configuration, enabling researchers and analysts to concentrate on subsequent stages of analysis