Smart Contracts Research Articles

SeedChain: A Secure and Transparent Blockchain-Driven Framework to Revolutionize the Seed Supply Chain

Farming is a major sector required for any nation to become self-sustainable. Quality seeds heavily influence the effectiveness of farming. Seeds cultivated by breeders pass through several entities in order to reach farmers. The existing seed supply chain is opaque and intractable, which not only hinders the growth of crops but also makes the life of a farmer miserable. Blockchain has been widely employed to enable fair and secure transactions between farmers and buyers, but concerns related to transparency and traceability in the seed supply chain, counterfeit seeds, middlemen involvement, and inefficient processes in the agricultural ecosystem have not received enough attention. To address these concerns, a blockchain-based solution is proposed that brings breeders, farmers, warehouse owners, transporters, and food corporations to a single platform to enhance transparency, traceability, and trust among trust-less parties. A smart contract updates the status of seeds from a breeder from submitted to approved. Then, a non-fungible token (NFT) corresponding to approved seeds is minted for the breeder, which records the date of cultivation and its owner (breeder). The NFT enables farmers to keep track of seeds right from the date of their cultivation and their owner, which helps them to make better decisions about picking seeds from the correct owner. Farmers directly interact with warehouses to purchase seeds, which removes the need for middlemen and improves the trust among trust-less entities. Furthermore, a tender for the transportation of seeds is auctioned on the basis of the priority location locp, Score, and bid_amount of every transporter, which provides a fair chance to every transporter to restrict the monopoly of a single transporter. The proposed system achieves immutability, decentralization, and efficiency inherently from the blockchain. We implemented the proposed scheme and deployed it on the Ethereum network. Smart contracts deployed over the Ethereum network interact with React-based web pages. The analysis and results of the proposed model indicate that it is viable and secure, as well as superior to the current seed supply chain system.

Online Voting System using Blockchain

Blockchain technology has been presented as a support for trust needs between transactions in electronic information systems. Its successful use in cryptocurrencies has allowed it to explore its capabilities in commercial, industrial, and service systems, backed by the operational alternatives offered by Ethereum Smart Contracts and the cryptographic security of public and private key. These keys are used as a way to make online transactions anonymously, with the guarantee offered by the Blockchain network that they are executed safely. With the above in mind, this concept can be extended to the electoral processes, thus allowing its application in electronic voting systems, especially when the protocols currently used lack the trust factor between the different social actors. This document presents a proof of concept in which Blockchain and other technologies are applied, to allow interaction as an electronic voting system for the election of unique candidates. This has been achieved through the specification of an architecture designed especially for electoral processes, from which it is implemented and a simulation is carried out in order to obtain data that generates value, when evaluating Blockchain technology as an alternative to current voting systems

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.

Adoption of Blockchain Technology for Data Management of Human Resource Demands in Organizational Enterprises

Human resource data accuracy has become a significant factor in assessing the effectiveness and performance of human resource management (HRM) in businesses. Numerous human resource hazards originating from asymmetric information continue to cost firms money and even put companies out of business despite the rapid progress of mobile technology and Internet technology. Blockchain is a transaction platform that makes use of the immutability qualities of immutable data records. Because of the dispersed nature of this technology, it has a broad variety of applications in numerous industries. Seeing the potential of this new technology, we picked the HRM sector since this data must be kept private and secret while still having great research value. This research presents a unique blockchain-based encryption method for establishing an HRM data method that decreases the danger of HRM data integrity. The data is authenticated using smart contracts, and data is encrypted using the proposed Improved Identity-based blowfish encryption algorithm (IIBEA) with Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). New blocks are verified using the Proof of Work (PoW) consensus process. The suggested model's metrics are examined and compared to traditional encryption approaches. This model solves the lack of difference in the authenticity of HRM information, and it will give real and effective information to the HRM of organizational companies.

Ethical Knowledge Sharing Leveraging Blockchain: An Overview

The knowledge that is acquired through a learning process has ethical concerns when shared, as there can be restrictions on the parties who can use the piece of knowledge, redistribution approaches protecting the creator's rights, privacy, and confidentiality concerns, accuracy and trustworthiness, openness and transparency, and informed consent. Blockchain structure encompasses a series of coupled blocks that are intrinsically linked with the conservation of authenticity, ensuring irrefutability, and the semi-anonymity of transactions. As pioneers in reviewing BC-based ethical Knowledge Sharing (KS), we categorize the model into 4 classes and critically evaluate the literature relative to knowledge-associated features, ethical knowledge-sharing aspects, BC-associated features, and network features. We heaped a commencing sample of 69 document references by selecting the literature for eligibility conditions pursued from intellectual resource search platforms, leveraging a profound and overly extended-period technique. We investigate and emphasize that, owing to innate security properties, blockchain can facilitate ethical KS in numerous ways, such as leveraging a dedicated consensus approach for ethical KS (Class 1), leveraging blockchain itself for knowledge storage and sharing due to its mutation-proof, non-tamperable, fault tolerance features (Class 2), ensuring the confidentiality of knowledge by leveraging additional encryption techniques on blockchain (Class 3), and leveraging smart contracts for attribute-based searching, knowledge fusion, access control, reward-driven KS, etc. (Class 4). Critical evaluation unveils that from BC-based ethical KS frameworks, 50% utilize smart contracts with blockchain for knowledge-based activities, 90% leverage progressive BC architecture, 6.7% leverage proof-of-knowledge consensus, 93.4% share propositional knowledge, and 70% share explicit knowledge. Moreover, accuracy, openness and transparency, privacy, trustworthiness, truthfulness, and confidentiality have been the dominant factors in ethical KS principles of interest. Finally, we examine the openings and hurdles of the model of blockchain-based ethical KS, then propose actions to diminish them, and afterward present future directions, implications, and limitations for the concept.

Towards Building a Faster and Incentive Enabled Privacy-Preserving Proof of Location Scheme from GTOTP

In recent years, there has been significant growth in location-based services (LBSs) and applications. These services empower users to transmit their location data to location service providers, thereby facilitating the provisioning of pertinent resources and services. However, in order to prevent malicious users from sending fake location data, users must attest to their location for service providers, namely, through a proof of location (PoL). Such a proof should additionally prevent attackers from being able to obtain users’ identity and location information through it. In this paper, we propose an efficient privacy-preserving proof of location (PPPoL) scheme. The scheme is based on the standard cryptographic primitives, including Group Time-based One-Time Password (GTOTP) and public key encryption, which achieves entity privacy, location privacy, and traceability. Unlike the previous GTOTP-based PPPoL scheme, our scheme enables instant location verification with additional hash operations. To encourage the active participation of witnesses in location proofs, we propose an incentive mechanism based on smart contracts. Additionally, we implement a proof of concept of our PPPoL scheme on an Android device. Our experimental results show that proof generation and verification time are on the order of milliseconds. Meanwhile, the total overhead for the incentive mechanism amounts to 0.0011 ETH. This result is practical for mobile device-based LBSs.

Cryptocurrency Adoption and Financial Innovation

The advent of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology has sparked a revolutionary Shift in the financial sector. This study sets out on a wide-ranging investigation to understand the nuanced dynamics, repercussions, and potential future paths of this shifting environment in the UK and USA. The primary goals of the research are to examine how cryptocurrencies affect financial markets and conventional banking systems; to examine how blockchain technology might be used in the financial sector; to assess policy and regulatory considerations; and to predict and plan for the future. This research digs into how cryptocurrencies have revolutionized the banking and finance sectors. Analysis of adoption rates, market volatility, and integration methods sheds light on the changing position of cryptocurrencies in investment portfolios, reconfiguration of asset classes, and coping mechanisms of conventional financial institutions. When looking at the financial sector as a whole, the transformational potential of blockchain technology becomes clear. The advent of DeFi, smart contracts, and asset tokenization offers new prospects to improve financial transactions, increase transparency, and broaden participation in the investment market. The research analyzes cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology from a policy and regulatory perspective. The delicate balancing act between stimulating innovation and guaranteeing consumer protection, market integrity, and financial stability is highlighted by a comparison of the regulatory methods adopted in the United Kingdom and United States, as well as proposals from international organizations. The research identifies potential future paths for these technologies and their implications. Opportunities and challenges that will influence the future of finance emerge, with a focus on central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), sustainable blockchain solutions, and interdisciplinary collaborations. As this deep dive comes to a close, the transformational power of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology is highlighted. It sheds light on the forces that are altering the structures of the world’s financial markets, conventional banking structures, and regulatory frameworks. The findings and critical assessment stress the need for well-considered choices, ethical innovation, and interdisciplinary cooperation in order to succeed in an ever-changing environment. To further democratize access, improve transparency, and reshape the economic fabric of our planet, the future of finance resides at the confluence of tradition and innovation, where cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology exist. Cryptocurrency adoption has catalyzed changes in consumer behavior and investment patterns. While some view digital currencies as speculative assets, others embrace them as alternative forms of money and store of value. This diversity of perspectives underscores the need for a nuanced understanding of cryptocurrency adoption and its implications for financial systems. The significance of this study lies in its contribution to our understanding of the evolving relationship between cryptocurrency adoption and financial innovation. By elucidating the drivers, challenges, and implications of this phenomenon, policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers can make informed decisions to harness the transformative potential of digital currencies while mitigating associated risks. Cryptocurrency adoption and the financial innovations it has spurred are transforming the way we think about money and financial services. While challenges remain, the potential benefits of a more decentralized, efficient, and inclusive financial system are significant. As the technology matures, regulatory frameworks adapt, and user confidence grows, cryptocurrency adoption is likely tocontinue its upward trajectory. Cryptocurrency adoption and its associated financial innovations have the potential to usher in a paradigm shift in the way we manage and exchange value.

The Blockchain: Opportunities for Research in Information Technology

Blockchain technology has come to be seen as a radically different kind of information technology due to its role as a disruptive agent that challenges incumbent actors and their assumptions. With this research paper, I cover the basics and benefits of blockchain technology as well as its possible industries residing, organization and even changing. The blockchain is a decentralized database technology, which had brought the rise and the existence of cryptocurrencies. Similar to Bitcoin, the magnitude of its operation is wielded not only for digital currency. This article will be carrying on the matter of blockchain systems type diversity with public, private, and consortium chains detailed, and the role of the network nodes in achieving consensus being specified. Keywords: - Cryptocurrencies (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum), Smart contracts, Digital Signatures, Supply chain applications, Blockchain applications, Blockchain in finance and healthcare

Ensuring Compliance Integrity in AI ML Cloud Environments: The Role of Data Guardianship

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become ubiquitous across various industries, including security, healthcare, finance, and national defense. However, alongside its transformative potential, there has been a concerning rise in malicious exploitation of AI capabilities. Simultaneously, the rapid advancement of cloud computing technology has led to the emergence of cloud-based AI systems. Unfortunately, vulnerabilities inherent in cloud infrastructure also pose security risks to AI services. We recognize the critical role of maintaining the integrity of training data, as any compromise therein directly impacts the effectiveness of AI systems. In response to this challenge, we emphasize the paramount importance of preserving data integrity within AI systems. To address this need, we propose a data integrity architecture guided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) cybersecurity framework. Leveraging blockchain technology and smart contracts presents a suitable solution for addressing integrity challenges, given their features of shared and decentralized ledgers. Smart contracts enable automated policy enforcement, facilitate continuous monitoring of data integrity, and help mitigate the risk of data tampering.

A Blockchain-Based Multi-Cloud Storage Data Auditing Scheme to Locate Faults

The advent of network storage services has revolutionized user experiences worldwide, offering unparalleled convenience, cost-effectiveness, and robust availability. However, relying solely on a single service provider entails inherent risks. To address this, sophisticated multi-cloud storage systems have emerged, aiming to mitigate data corruption risks. Nevertheless, ensuring data integrity in such systems necessitates robust auditing schemes. Traditional approaches often depend on centralized entities like third-party auditors (TPAs) or cloud service organizers, leaving users vulnerable to malicious actors during disputes. In response, we propose a blockchain-based multi-cloud storage auditing framework. By leveraging blockchain technology, we establish an immutable ledger to record interactions among users, service providers, and organizers, serving as indisputable evidence. Smart contracts are employed to detect and resolve service disputes, compelling untrusted organizers to accurately identify malicious providers. Additionally, we utilize blockchain networks and homomorphic verifiable tags to facilitate low-cost batch verification without the need for TPAs. Theoretical analyses and empirical evaluations demonstrate the scheme's efficacy and cost-effectiveness in multi-cloud environments, promising enhanced data integrity and dispute resolution mechanisms. Keywords—Multi-cloud storage, blockchain, data auditing, dispute arbitration

Towards Efficient and Deposit-Free Blockchain-Based Spatial Crowdsourcing

Spatial crowdsourcing leverages the widespread use of mobile devices to outsource tasks to a crowd of users based on their geographical location. Despite its growing popularity, current crowdsourcing systems often suffer from a lack of transparency, centralization, and other security issues. Blockchain technology has revolutionized this sector with its potential for decentralization, security, and transparency. However, existing blockchain-based crowdsourcing systems often overlook efficient task assignment mechanisms and expose users to potential losses due to the obligatory deposit payments to smart contracts, which might be vulnerable or untrustworthy. This paper proposes EDF-Crowd, an E fficient and D eposit- F ree blockchain-based spatial crowdsoucing framework, to address these challenges. EDF-Crowd introduces an efficient, customizable task assignment mechanism based on smart contracts, operating periodically and batch-wise. We also design a fair compensation mechanism to compensate users for the extra overhead caused by invoking certain smart contracts. More importantly, we propose a series of linkage protocols. By linking users’ back-and-forth actions, EDF-Crowd can regulate user behavior without requiring users to deposit. The versatility of EDF-Crowd also allows its application to generic crowdsourcing systems with minimal modifications. We implement EDF-Crowd based on the EOS blockchain. Extensive evaluations show that EDF-Crowd achieves high task assignment efficiency and low cost.

NotaryVault: Secure Document Authentication on Blockchain

The Notarial Office(NO), working on providing various essential certificates, still relies on manual handling and requires paper materials from other government departments. That brings lots of inconvenience. The Notarial Office rejects non-local paper materials for their lower credibility in the local place and then cannot provide cross-border services. It also easily causes sensitive information leakage as copies of paper materials have been stored. In this case, a blockchain-based system is suitable to address challenges in this scenario because of its advantages (e.g, decentralized, immutability, transparency, auditability). We implemented this system on top of the Hyperledger Fabric. Moreover, we replace manual operations with smart contracts, set extra ledgers to off-load different types of transactions and provide encryption for private information when needed. In the end, we get the expected result. That is, the modification outperformed the unmodified network in experiments.

Role of Blockchain Technology in Enhancing Supplychain Traceability, Transparency and Efficiency

The conventional traceability system faces challenges such as centralized control, lack of transparency, unreliable data, and the frequent creation of information silos. To address these issues, this paper introduces a blockchain-based traceability system tailored for the storage and retrieval of product information in the agricultural supply chain. Utilizing blockchain's inherent properties of decentralization, immutability, and traceability, this system enhances the transparency and trustworthiness of traceability data. Furthermore, the integration of blockchain technology with cryptography is suggested to enable the secure exchange of private information within the blockchain network. Additionally, we have developed a reputation-based smart contract system to motivate network participants to contribute traceability data actively. This approach aims to leverage blockchain's capabilities to overcome the limitations of traditional traceability systems in the agricultural sector. This research paper explores the role of blockchain technology in enhancing supply chain transparency and efficiency, focused on food and agriculture sector. It underscores the growing consumer demand for authentic product and the challenges of maintaining transparency is increasingly becoming difficult in global and complex markets. Findings reveal that blockchain has significant capabilities to increases transparency, traceability, and security, while potentially reducing costs and errors. However, the study also identifies challenges, such as technological complexities, scalability issues, regulatory uncertainties, and integration hurdles. A strategic framework for adopting blockchain in retail supply chains is proposed, offering insights for practitioners and policy considerations. The paper also designs a novel traceability system for agricultural product supply chains, employing blockchain technology to address issues such as centralized management, opaque information, and data unreliability. The study concludes that while blockchain technology presents significant opportunities for transforming supply chains, realizing its full potential necessitates careful strategizing and sector-wide collaboration. The research offers recommendations for practitioners and outlines directions for future research, highlighting that the successful application of blockchain hinges on organizational adjustments and meeting specific boundary conditions.

Research of blockchain-embedded agricultural quality credit regulation influencing factors

PurposeThe credit of agricultural product quality and safety reflects the ability of the main actors involved in the supply chain to provide reliable agricultural products to consumers. To fundamentally solve the problem of agricultural product quality and safety, it is worth studying how to make the credit awareness and integrity self-discipline of the supply chain agriculture-related subjects strengthened and the role and value of credit supervision given full play. Starting from the application of blockchain in the agricultural product supply chain, this paper aims to investigate the main factors affecting the credit regulation of agricultural product quality.Design/methodology/approachUsing the DEMATEL-ISM (decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory–interpretative structural modeling) method, we analyze the credit influencing factors of agricultural quality and safety empowered by blockchain technology, find the causal relationship between the crucial influencing factors and deeply explore the hierarchical transmission relationship between the influencing factors. Then, the path analysis in structural equation modeling is utilized to verify and measure the significance and effect value of the transmission relationship among the crucial influencing factors of credit regulation.FindingsThe results show that the quality and safety credit regulation of agricultural products is influenced by a combination of direct and deep influencing factors. Long-term stable cooperative relationship, Quality and safety credit evaluation, Supply chain risk control ability, Quality and safety testing, Constraints of the smart contract are the main influence path of blockchain embedded in agricultural product supply chain quality and safety credit supervision.Originality/valueCredit supervision is an important means to improve the ability and level of social governance and standardize the market order. From the perspective of blockchain embedded in the agricultural supply chain, the regulatory body is transformed from the product body to the supply chain body. Take the credit supervision of supply chain subjects as the basis of agricultural product quality supervision. With the help of blockchain technology to improve the effectiveness of agricultural product quality and safety credit supervision, credit supervision is used to constrain and incentivize the behavior of agricultural subjects.

Crowdfunding Platform Powered by Blockchain Technology

Equity crowdfunding via the Internet is a new channel of raising fund for startups. It features low walls to entry, low cost, and high speed, and therefore encourages invention. In recent times, equity crowdfunding in India has endured some developments. still, some problems remain unsolved in practice. Blockchain is a decentralized and distributed tally technology to ensure data security, transparency, and integrity. Because it cannot be tampered, the technology is supposed to have great eventuality in the finance assiduity. This study examines current problems in the practice of equity crowdfunding in India. Grounded on the analysis of the characteristics of blockchain technology, this study further explores its practical operations in crowdfunding. Blockchain technology is a secure, effective, low- cost result for the enrolment of stocks and shares of a establishment financed by crowdfunding. First, a vendor initiates a request for ensuring a product, then the interested lenders participate in a project Key Words: Blockchain, crowdfunding, Fundraising, Project Registration and Transaction, Voting of Shareholders, Ethereum, Smart Contracts

Smart flow: a provenance-supported smart contract workflow architecture

Smart flow: a provenance-supported smart contract workflow architecture

Land Registration System Using Blockchain

The current land registration system relies on paper-based methods, prone to fraud, errors, and security vulnerabilities. These shortcomings contribute to prolonged registration processes and an increase in fraudulent activities. To overcome these challenges, this paper proposes a blockchain-based land registration system. Blockchain technology provides an immutable and decentralized ledger, ensuring the security and reliability of land records. By eliminating intermediaries, the blockchain-based registry streamlines land ownership validation, reduces costs, and accelerates registration timelines. This paper explores the potential of blockchain in land registration, focusing on fraud prevention, secure ownership record storage, and facilitation of transfer through cryptographic algorithms and smart contracts. The paper discusses the limitations of traditional land registration systems, including security, transparency, and efficiency issues. It then outlines how blockchain technology addresses these challenges by offering a transparent and secure registration mechanism. Utilizing cryptographic algorithms and smart contracts, blockchain ensures tamper-proof record-keeping and enables swift and transparent ownership transfers.

Blockchain Based Placement Management System And Job Recommendation Using Content-Based Filtering

The integration of blockchain technology with placement management systems and job recommendation mechanisms presents a robust solution for enhancing the efficiency, transparency, and security of the recruitment process. This paper proposes a Blockchain-based Placement Management System (BPMS) coupled with Content-Based Filtering (CBF) techniques to streamline the job matching process for both job seekers and recruiters. The BPMS leverages the decentralized nature of blockchain to ensure immutable records of job listings, candidate profiles, and transactional data, thereby reducing the risk of fraudulent activities and ensuring data integrity. Smart contracts are utilized to automate various aspects of the recruitment process, such as job application submissions, candidate evaluations, and offer acceptance, facilitating trustless interactions between parties.In parallel, the CBF approach is employed to provide personalized job recommendations to candidates based on the analysis of their skills, qualifications, and preferences. By analyzing the content of job descriptions and candidate profiles, the system generates tailored recommendations that match the expertise and interests of the candidates, improving the likelihood of successful placements.The proposed system offers several advantages over traditional placement management systems, including increased transparency, reduced operational costs, minimized bias in job recommendations, and enhanced security of sensitive data. Through the synergy of blockchain technology and content-based filtering techniques, the BPMS aims to revolutionize the recruitment industry by fostering trust, efficiency, and fairness in the job market.

Improving Healthcare Data Security and Privacy With Blockchain technology using SHA-256 Algorithm

Block chain technology has the potential to completely transform healthcare management systems by enhancing data security, interoperability, and integrity because to its decentralized and unchangeable structure. Sensitive patient information is more difficult for bad actors to breach thanks to the SHA-256 algorithm, which improves data security. Interoperability between diverse healthcare systems is facilitated by smart contracts and standardized data formats. However, issues with user adoption, scalability, and regulatory compliance also face block chain implementation in the healthcare industry. This study offers important insights into the changing environment of healthcare data management by highlighting the possible advantages and challenges of integrating block chain technology in healthcare management systems.

The First Blockchain: Bitcoin, Entropy, Religion

Bitcoin did not suddenly appear in November 2008, at the heart of the subprime crisis. It has matured over a decade, notably through the exchanges of Nick Szabo, Hal Finney, and others, with key moments such as the publication of “The God Protocols” by Szabo in 1997. The theological analogy developed in the introduction to that text, which theorizes smart contracts, raises the question: simple facetiousness, geek irony, or a clue to religious references? By analysing not only the founding texts but also the discussions in the Extropian or cryptography mailing lists in which Szabo and Finney took part, this article seeks to answer whether religious references (vocabulary, imagination, symbolism, structure) may have played a role in the genesis of Bitcoin.