Blockchain Distributed Ledger Technology Research Articles

Access Control System Using AI and Blockchain

The demands of a hyperconnected society that demand increased security, transparency, and user autonomy cause traditional access control to crumble. This abstract investigates how combining blockchain technology with artificial intelligence could revolutionize access control systems. By removing single points of failure and increasing accountability, blockchain's distributed ledger technology (DLT) creates irreversible trust via a shared, tamper-proof database of rights and transactions. By automating policies, smart contracts give people command over their digital assets. AI adds intelligence and flexibility. Real-time machine learning systems detect anomalies, dynamically assess behavior, and modify policy. Access requests are filtered by AI-driven risk assessment, and sensitive resources are protected by improved identity verification. The combination of AI's dynamic powers and blockchain's unchangeable base opens the door to a future where safe, user-focused access is commonplace.

A smart decentralized identifiable distributed ledger technology‐based blockchain (DIDLT‐BC) model for cloud‐IoT security

AbstractThe most important and difficult challenge the digital society has recently faced is ensuring data privacy and security in cloud‐based Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. As a result, many researchers believe that the blockchain's Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) is a good choice for various clever applications. Nevertheless, it encountered constraints and difficulties with elevated computing expenses, temporal demands, operational intricacy, and diminished security. Therefore, the proposed work aims to develop a Decentralized Identifiable Distributed Ledger Technology‐Blockchain (DIDLT‐BC) framework that is intelligent and effective, requiring the least amount of computing complexity to ensure cloud IoT system safety. In this case, the Rabin algorithm produces the digital signature needed to start the transaction. The public and private keys are then created to verify the transactions. The block is then built using the DIDLT model, which includes the block header information, hash code, timestamp, nonce message, and transaction list. The primary purpose of the Blockchain Consent Algorithm (BCA) is to find solutions for numerous unreliable nodes with varying hash values. The novel contribution of this work is to incorporate the operations of Rabin digital data signature generation, DIDLT‐based blockchain construction, and BCA algorithms for ensuring overall data security in IoT networks. With proper digital signature generation, key generation, blockchain construction and validation operations, secured data storage and retrieval are enabled in the cloud‐IoT systems. By using this integrated DIDLT‐BCA model, the security performance of the proposed system is greatly improved with 98% security, less execution time of up to 150 ms, and reduced mining time of up to 0.98 s.

Secure Remote Sensing Data With Blockchain Distributed Ledger Technology: A Solution for Smart Cities

Secure Remote Sensing Data With Blockchain Distributed Ledger Technology: A Solution for Smart Cities

Data Security in Healthcare Industrial Internet of Things With Blockchain

The Industrial Internet of Things has gained more attention because of the self-governing nature of system configuration with interoperable application connectivity. In the E-Healthcare environment, it cooperates with medical sensors to capture, examine, analyze, preserve, and document day-to-day transactions of patients in real-time. The integration of E-healthcare and IIoT provides an analytical platform to handle a large amount of data with a low cost of cloud-enabling scalable storage. Throughout the transformation, patients’ personal information is at risk while exchanging records over centralized server-based systems. Thus, the rate of node connectivity, failure of parallel data sharing, and deliverance-related issues increase. In this paper, we present solutions in three folds. First, the paper proposes a novel and secure architecture for E-healthcare data security using a blockchain-distributed ledger technology named BHIIoT. Second, the transformation in the lifecycle of medical wireless sensor networks for data management and optimization with a distributed layered hierarchy is developed, which enhances the network resources and increases trust in the blockchain-enabled peer-to-peer environment. Third, the proposed BHIIoT uses the NuCypher threshold re-encryption mechanism for data encryption and protects shared resources in the form of blocks preserved in a blockchain immutable storage. For instance, chain codes are deployed to automate authentication, logging, index information deliverance, and trace transactions to resist illegal activities in the E-Healthcare distributed-application. The customized lightweight blockchain multi-proof-of-work and multi-proof-of-stake are designed with a digital signature for improving the consumption of resources and reducing the load of storage while the transaction process of E-healthcare IIoT is scheduled.

Artificial intelligence and blockchain technology for secure smart grid and power distribution Automation: A State-of-the-Art Review

Artificial Intelligence (AI) integrated with Blockchain distributed ledger technology (BDLT) has become the most attractive research area in the domain of renewable energy and related power automations. However, the increased use of renewable energy-enabled devices raised various challenging problems, such as smart grid-based control management, power distribution, and automations. In this manner, the collaborative approach of blockchain, AI, and wireless sensor networks (WSN) provides a secure platform for control centers to estimate state, which helps to detect and analysis of bad data movement. There are various emerging issues in the field of Blockchain-AI in a renewable environment that poses a serious impact on the technological evaluation, for example, monitoring of contingency, optimal power flow, network reconfiguration, and the commitment of security-constrained units, and control auto-generation. So, in this paper, we perform a systematic review of the state-of-the-art integrated artificial intelligence and blockchain-enabled scheduling, management, optimization, privacy, and security of the smart grid and power distribution automation. One of the focusing aspects of this research is the real-time analysis of the physical layer of the smart grid. However, in this paper, we design a framework of a unified and abstracted state-space, in which the system analysis involves malicious attacks and maintain an effective generalized defense hierarchy in real-time. The current mechanism of analysis of smart grid-enabled physical layer-based malicious attacks is categorized into their associative and targeted components. Thus, we present three different pseudo-smart contracts and digital signatures with consensus policies; that provide an understanding of the new registry of renewable smart grids details, participating stakeholders and their roles, and an updated power distribution automation ledger. We then highlighted the list of emerging power distribution automation-related limitations along with the informational management approaches that present the existing state-of-the-art in this domain, including data-driven, target defense, computation, preservation, etc. Finally, we discuss open research issues and future directions of the smart grid and automation of power distribution security and privacy.

Lightweight-BIoV: Blockchain Distributed Ledger Technology (BDLT) for Internet of Vehicles (IoVs)

The vast enhancement in the development of the Internet of Vehicles (IoV) is due to the impact of the distributed emerging technology and topology of the industrial IoV. It has created a new paradigm, such as the security-related resource constraints of Industry 5.0. A new revolution and dimension in the IoV popup raise various critical challenges in the existing information preservation, especially in node transactions and communication, transmission, trust and privacy, and security-protection-related problems, which have been analyzed. These aspects pose serious problems for the industry to provide vehicular-related data integrity, availability, information exchange reliability, provenance, and trustworthiness for the overall activities and service delivery prospects against the increasing number of multiple transactions. In addition, there has been a lot of research interest that intersects with blockchain and Internet of Vehicles association. In this regard, the inadequate performance of the Internet of Vehicles and connected nodes and the high resource requirements of the consortium blockchain ledger have not yet been tackled with a complete solution. The introduction of the NuCypher Re-encryption infrastructure, hashing tree and allocation, and blockchain proof-of-work require more computational power as well. This paper contributes in two different folds. First, it proposes a blockchain sawtooth-enabled modular architecture for protected, secure, and trusted execution, service delivery, and acknowledgment with immutable ledger storage and security and peer-to-peer (P2P) network on-chain and off-chain inter-communication for vehicular activities. Secondly, we design and create a smart contract-enabled data structure in order to provide smooth industrial node streamlined transactions and broadcast content. Substantially, we develop and deploy a hyperledger sawtooth-aware customized consensus for multiple proof-of-work investigations. For validation purposes, we simulate the exchange of information and related details between connected devices on the IoV. The simulation results show that the proposed architecture of BIoV reduces the cost of computational power down to 37.21% and the robust node generation and exchange up to 56.33%. Therefore, only 41.93% and 47.31% of the Internet of Vehicles-related resources and network constraints are kept and used, respectively.

The nexus between blockchain distributed ledger technology and financial crimes

Abstract: Purpose: The study sought to uncover the effect of blockchain digital ledger technology (BCDLT) on financial crimes. The study was driven by the need to promote blockchain technology in a bid to enhance financial sanity through elimination of financial delinquency. Research methodology: The study followed a quantitative paradigm using an explanatory research design. The study targeted financial executives, senior staff members at the Zimbabwe stock exchange, bankers and officials from the financial regulators. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Results: The study found out that of the four independent BCDLT antecedents, manual audit costs were insignificant, whereas the other three had strong positive associations with financial crime reduction. Limitations: The study targeted a specific group of financiers; hence the results may not be universal to other excluded categories Contribution: The study significantly guides policy formulation and laws in line with the adoption of the blockchain technology in the global financial system to guard against the possibility of new forms of financial crimes that could emanate from the use of technology. Keywords: 1. Blockchain digital ledger technology 2. Financial crime 3. Financial performance

BIoMT: A State-of-the-Art Consortium Serverless Network Architecture for Healthcare System Using Blockchain Smart Contracts

Owing to the sensitive nature of healthcare data, the aforementioned approach to transferring patient data to central servers creates serious security and privacy issues. In addition, blockchain distributed ledger technology has introduced immutable storage and decentralized data management capability, which handles a large number of distributed nodes of E-Healthcare transactions via a serverless network, but in a limited manner because of blockchain-enabled resources. In this scenario, the medical industries are concerned about constituting an innovation in health information preservation and exchanging service delivery protocols without the connectivity of an untrusted third-party infrastructure. In this study, we proposed a blockchain hyperledger fabric-enabled consortium architecture called BIoMT, which provides security, integrity, transparency, and provenance to health-related transactions and exchanges sensitive clinical information in a serverless peer-to-peer (P2P) secure network environment. A consensus is designed and created to reduce the rate of blockchain resource constraints on the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT). The privacy of individual health transactions before sharing is protected using the NuCypher Re-Encryption mechanism, which increases security and provides medical ledger integrity and transparency. Smart contracts are created and deployed to automate device registration, exchange transactions, and ledger preservation in immutable storage (filecoin) after cross verification and validation. The experimental results show that the proposed BIoMT reduces the computational cost by 26.13%, and the robust medical node generation increases to 60.37%. Thus, only 31.79% and 74.21% of IoMT-related information and serverless P2P network usage are maintained and saved, respectively.

Research on Data Sharing Access Control Based on Blockchain Technology

Blockchain is now widely used in various industries due to its openness, transparency, autonomy, imtamability, decentralization, and traceability. With the wide application of blockchain technology, its security problems have also brought significant challenges, seriously affecting the implementation of blockchain applications. Data on the traditional blockchain is open to the entire network node. The update operation of data records is also transparent, accompanied by the leakage of user information. Although blockchain has the characteristics of anonymity and privacy, with its development, it has not been easy to meet users' needs. How to effectively protect user data privacy, realize data sharing on the blockchain, and ensure the security of data integrity, transmission efficiency, storage efficiency, and application is very important to break through the bottleneck of the development of blockchain technology and promote its application. This paper proposes a traffic data resource access control scheme based on blockchain technology by combining the attribute encryption access control system based on ciphertext strategy based on blockchain's distributed ledger technology and the openness and imtamability it brings. In this scheme, the task of attribute encryption is to ensure the security involved in the process of plaintext and ciphertext conversion and the efficiency of data sharing, and to implement a one-to-many access sharing policy, to enhance the safety of the access sharing system and improve the efficiency of the access control module. This paper introduces the access control mechanism from two aspects of system architecture and the access sharing process. Then the attribute encryption mechanism is designed. The design process includes symbol description, primary structure, algorithm design idea and algorithm construction. Finally, the functionality and security of the access control mechanism are analysed.

Securing the Internet of Things (IoT) with Blockchain: A Proof-of-Concept Implementation and Analysis

The Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized the way we interact with everyday objects, enabling devices to collect and share data seamlessly. However, this increased connectivity has also increased the security risks associated with these devices, as they often lack the necessary security mechanisms to prevent malicious attacks. To address this issue, we propose using blockchain technology to secure IoT devices. In this paper, we present a proof-of-concept implementation of a blockchain-based IoT security system and analyze its effectiveness. Our system leverages blockchain's distributed ledger technology to ensure data integrity, decentralization, and transparency, making it more resilient to attacks. We evaluate our system's performance and compare it with other existing IoT security solutions. Our results show that our blockchain-based approach outperforms traditional security measures and is a viable solution for securing IoT devices. Finally, we discuss the limitations of our study and suggest future research directions for improving the security of IoT devices.

BCA: A 530-mW Multicore Blockchain Accelerator for Power-Constrained Devices in Securing Decentralized Networks

Blockchain distributed ledger technology (DLT) has widespread applications in society 5.0 because it improves service efficiency and significantly reduces labor costs. However, employing blockchain DLT entails considerable energy consumption in the mining process. This paper proposes a blockchain accelerator (BCA) with ultralow power consumption and a high processing rate to address the problem. The BCA focuses on accelerating the double secure hash algorithm (SHA) 256 function required in the mining process at a system-on-chip (SoC) level. We propose three ideas, namely, multiple local memories (multimem), double-cell processing element (D-PE), and nonce autoupdate (NAU), to reduce the external data transfer time and improve the BCA hardware efficiency. We propose a cascaded multiple BCA chip model to enhance the system throughput by several-fold. Our experiments on an ASIC and FPGA prove that the proposed BCA successfully performs the mining process for multiple blockchain networks with much lower power consumption than that of the state-of-the-art CPUs and GPUs. The BCA is laid out with Renesas 65 nm technology with a chip area of <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$25~mm^{2}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> and consumes <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$530~mW$ </tex-math></inline-formula> at 100 <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">MHz</i> . The power efficiency of the layout chip is improved by 2428 and 143 times compared with that of the fastest CPU Intel i9-10940X and GPU RTX 3090, respectively.

Is blockchain able to enhance environmental sustainability? A systematic review and research agenda from the perspective of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

AbstractBlockchain is a disruptive technology that is revolutionizing information technology and represents a change of cultural paradigm for the way in which information is shared. Companies are rushing to understand how they can use blockchain distributed ledger technology to innovate processes, products and transactions. In a globalized world where environmental sustainability is a critical success factor, what is the role of the blockchain? By using a systematic review approach and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) protocol, this study attempts to identify whether and how blockchain technology is considered able to affect environmental sustainability. Findings from 195 studies from 2015 to 2020 were analysed after the search protocol was applied. The results indicate that blockchain technology could contribute to environmentally sustainable development goals (SDGs) from different points of view, such as supporting the realization of a sustainable supply chain, improving energy efficiency and promoting the creation of secure and reliable smart cities. Furthermore, the investigation highlights the sectors where to focus research investments, providing a way to reward sustainable behaviour and increasing environmental sustainability. On the other hand, blockchain has no negligible negative effects on the environment that need to be considered before adoption.

BCFL logging: An approach to acquire and preserve admissible digital forensics evidence in cloud ecosystem

Log files are the primary source of recording users, applications and protocols, activities in the cloud ecosystem. Cloud forensic investigators can use log evidence to ascertain when, why and how a cyber adversary or an insider compromised a system by establishing the crime scene and reconstructing how the incident occurred. However, digital evidence acquisition in a cloud ecosystem is complicated and proven difficult, even with modern forensic acquisition toolkit. The multi-tenancy, Geo-location and Service-Level Agreement have added another layer of complexity in acquiring digital log evidence from a cloud ecosystem. In order to mitigate these complexities of evidence acquisition in the cloud ecosystem, we need a framework that can forensically maintain the trustworthiness and integrity of log evidence. In this paper, we design and implement a Blockchain Cloud Forensic Logging (BCFL) framework, using a Design Science Research Methodological (DSRM) approach. BCFL operates primarily in four stages: (1) Process transaction logs using Blockchain distributed ledger technology (DLT). (2) Use a Blockchain smart contract to maintain the integrity of logs and establish a clear chain of custody. (3) Validate all transaction logs. (4) Maintain transaction log immutability. BCFL will also enhance and strengthen compliance with the European Union (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The results from our single case study will demonstrate that BCFL will mitigate the challenges and complexities faced by digital forensics investigators in acquiring admissible digital evidence from the cloud ecosystem. Furthermore, an instantaneous performance monitoring of the proposed Blockchain cloud forensic logging framework was evaluated. BCFL will ensure trustworthiness, integrity, authenticity and non-repudiation of the log evidence in the cloud.

Implications of blockchain distributed ledger technology for records management and information governance programs

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assist records managers and information governance professionals to understand the challenges presented by their organization’s use of blockchain distributed ledger technology (DLT).Design/methodology/approachAn extensive literature review was conducted, which revealed a multitude of articles based on research into blockchain DLT, most written from the technology perspective. This paper differs in that it applies a records management lens to an analysis of the records created, registered or stored on a blockchain. A six-stage blockchain records consideration model is provided to illustrate examples of the records management challenges presented by the implementation of blockchain DLT. Questions are posed and recommendations are made to aid the reader in developing a blockchain DLT records management and information governance strategy.FindingsBecause there is no one universal configuration for a blockchain DLT solution, each implementation must be analyzed to understand the resultant records management and information governance challenges. A series of questions that should be asked and answered can not only help records management and information governance professionals adapt their policies and practices to the technology but also provide a basis for discussion with those designing the blockchain DLT solutions so they can include records management features in their designs.Originality/valueThis paper contributes an original analysis of the implications of the adoption of Blockchain DLT for records management and information governance programs through the lens of a six-stage Blockchain Records Consideration Model.

Применение технологий распределенного реестра (Blockchain) в электроэнергетических системах

Modern energy grids are rapidly evolving into complex cyber-physical systems. Decentralisation of energy resources, shift away from the current traditional centralised model of power supply, the widespread introduction of new information technologies requires the creation of a safe, efficient and reliable cyber infrastructure that can ensure the proper level of confidentiality and automation of the processes of buying and selling electricity. The growing popularity of Blockchain distributed ledger technology can solve these challenges. The technology provides for distributed computing, a secure environment for interaction between network members and reliable storage of information. Blockchain ensures that each network member isa supplier of energy, rather than only a consumer, and organises a “digital” environment for this. At the same time, energy will be sold directly between the members, with no middleman, using smart meters and adaptive algorithms for reciprocal payment that interact in real time. In 2017, Blockchain was rated by top executives as a key breakthrough digital technology for the next five years. According to the Deloitte 2019 poll, 53 % companies called Blockchain a “strategical priority” technology, a 10 % rise y.o.y. At the same time, projects that have entered the market and received financing over the past two years are more complex and industrially spesific. Among the leading countries are USA, Germany and the UK. Half of the Blockchain projects in the electric power industry are registered in five states: USA (50 projects), Germany (22 projects), Great Britain (15 projects), Australia (13 projects) and Japan (13 projects). At the same time, Russia accounted for only 4 projects.

Blockchain distributed ledger technology: An introduction and focus on smart contracts

AbstractThe rapid evolution of the blockchain and distributed ledger technology and the associated applications will require many changes in the way business is transacted and how transactions are recorded. Significant R&amp;D investments in blockchain environments and the maturation of application uses of “smart contracts” and other types of self‐executing tools are establishing frameworks for expanded use, infrastructure growth, and further development. The realization of the impact of these investments is currently changing entire business processes, transforming industries, and impacting governments globally. This global disruptive impact is a major technology evolution and will be transformational to society over the next several decades much as the Internet has been over the last 30 years. As these changes will be especially transformational to fundamental accounting processes, tools, and methodologies of today, accounting and finance professionals would be wise to embrace the technological challenges associated with blockchain technology.

Blockchain: Moving Beyond Bitcoin into a Digitalized World

Little over a decade has passed since Blockchain gave birth to its prodigy Bitcoin, but Bitcoin despite all the hype (which was referred to as “big bang” by many) failed to become a simple (stable) global crypto-currency for everyday life to enable users worldwide to purchase products/services online, transfer money and conduct business with both individuals and entities within seconds without going through access related issues and financial burden of high transactional costs. Blockchain’s close link to Bitcoin has been rather negative on the revolutionary technology to live its true potential, but now it is time for blockchain to move beyond Bitcoin. Blockchain distributed ledger technology (DLT) can be used in many areas that are traditionally under government control. In fact, numerous tools and applications we are so accustomed to using or seeing around could be decentralized via blockchain to create a paperless digitalized world; as a side goal, this could possibly help reduce global warming as well. Internet, marketing (advertisement), asset management, traffic control, utilities (electric, gas, and water) and social security (retirement benefits) can all be decentralized through blockchain to provide more efficient and unrestricted access to personal and public records. Blockchain possesses immense opportunities and has the capacity to take unimaginable forms in the future, but only if regulators, law makers, central banks and other branches of governments allow it to happen.

What is Blockchain Technology and its Significance in the Current Healthcare System? A Brief Insight.

The promising eventual fate of blockchain in healthcare has a lot more extensive prospect. Blockchain is a novel structure that gives another design to storage and trade of data among different members of a particular network. In case of a hospital, blockchain takes into consideration the creation of a better treatment structure by the expert doctor in order to arrange the meeting based on the symptoms of patients throughout the world by the electronic system. Blockchain technology is crucial for biomedical and human services applications as social insurance has turned out to be a standout among the most essential rising application areas of the blockchain distributed ledger technology. By and large, blockchain is treated as a conveyed record to store social insurance related information for allocation, trading, dissecting, footage, and affirming purposes among accomplices. The advantage of blockchain databases versus traditional dispersed databases is that they are decentralized, permanent, and perfected with advanced digital payment frameworks and hash chain occasion structure. The blockchain code is an unlocked resource and can be utilized, altered, and customized by its clients. Nowadays, blockchain is expected to be almost universally adopted across medical organizations around the world. The purpose of this review article is to comprehend the current explored subjects, difficulties, and future headings in regards to blockchain innovation from the specialized perspective in the health care system.

Ripple vs. SWIFT: Transforming Cross Border Remittance Using Blockchain Technology

Blockchain technology is transforming traditional financial systems. Cross-border money remittance industry is in a crossroad being challenged. The traditional SWIFT system is facing new comers like Ripple system which is based on the blockchain distributed ledger technology with its own crypto tokens. This paper conducts a SWOT analysis on both technologies to find out whether the blockchain technology has the potential to transform a traditional industry and how this may be possible. We conclude that Ripple has all of the advantages over SWIFT despite some minor issues. In short-term, SWIFT will still take the lead in the remittance market due to the economy of scale. However, in long-term, emerging technology like Ripple will eventually revolutionize the remittance industry or even other financial systems.

A critical analysis of the advantages brought by blockchain technology to the global economy

The blockchain distributed ledger technology offers a secure, transparent, verifiable, democratic, decentralised, efficient, and tamper-resistant way to record and transfer data. Now much of the discussion revolves around the attributes that determine its many potential applications as this technology is expected to help transform sectors that are hampered by inefficiencies as well as facilitate the appearance of new business models based on distributed markets and technology. Given this technological revolution has already started, the core objectives of this article are to acquaint the reader with the technology and with the current and latent applications of this innovation while recognising its potential worldwide economic impact. To accomplish these goals we review the literature encompassing both academic and professional works that refer to the characteristics and properties of the blockchain, its many existent and plausible applications, and the reasons for its anticipated global economic repercussions.