Abstract
Trusted decentralized applications based on distributed ledger technologies provide many potential opportunities to 5G applications and verticals, as well as in fifth generation mobile network (5G) enabling technologies, systems, and services. Apart from the tamper-proof exchange of transactions, distributed ledgers can provide a software environment for the trusted execution of smart contracts. In this article, we explore the security aspects of decentralized applications and, in particular, the security of smart contracts. Distributed ledger characteristics impose distinct requirements on smart contract design, implementation, deployment, and management. We briefly present the approach to the development of secure smart contracts, and highlight key smart contract vulnerabilities and the developer tools supporting smart contract security. We developed a secure, upgradeable modular multi-contract platform. It combines per-contract Smart Contract Tunnels and per-user-based access control to minimize vulnerabilities. The smart contract platform is comprised of service-agnostic, auxiliary, and service-specific smart contracts. It can be therefore easily adapted to different 5G application verticals. For illustration and evaluation, we elaborated on the proposed solution on a case of smart electric charging. During the design and development, state-of-the-art code analysis was applied. Finally, we propose an architecture for the integration of the secure multi-contract platform into a 5G architecture. The integration proposal utilizes hybrid private-public blockchain networks for possible security, scalability, performance, and transaction cost optimization.
Highlights
Emerging 5G networks are characterized by three major features, which promise to support a variety of new services, applications, and business opportunities
We proposed several possible approaches to the integration of such a secure decentralized application into the 5G infrastructure, including considerations on hybrid public and private distributed ledger network architectures for secure and scalable operation
We focus on smart contract security
Summary
Emerging 5G networks are characterized by three major features, which promise to support a variety of new services, applications, and business opportunities. Despite a considerable heterogeneity of the foreseen 5G requirements, technologies, tenants, and use cases, we believe they share a common demand for secure, trusted, autonomous, and automated interactions, which leverage 5G system management, service provisioning, and related applications. This demand can be leveraged/addressed by distributed ledger technologies. We proposed several possible approaches to the integration of such a secure decentralized application into the 5G infrastructure, including considerations on hybrid public and private distributed ledger network architectures for secure and scalable operation.
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