Rens W. van der Heijden, Felix Engelmann, David Mödinger, Franziska Schönig · 5 authors
In this paper, we propose a new Blockchain-based message and revocation accountability system called Blackchain. Combining a distributed ledger with existing mechanisms for security in V2X communication systems, we design a distributed event data recorder (EDR) that satisfies traditional accountability requirements by providing a compressed global state. Unlike previous approaches, our distributed ledger solution provides an accountable revocation mechanism without requiring trust in a single misbehavior authority, instead allowing a collaborative and transparent decision making process through Blackchain. This makes Blackchain an attractive alternative to existing solutions for revocation in a Security Credential Management System (SCMS), which suffer from the traditional disadvantages of PKIs, notably including centralized trust. Our proposal becomes scalable through the use of hierarchical consensus: individual vehicles dynamically create clusters, which then provide their consensus decisions as input for road-side units (RSUs), which in turn publish their results to misbehavior authorities. This authority, which is traditionally a single entity in the SCMS, responsible for the integrity of the entire V2X network, is now a set of authorities that transparently perform a revocation, whose result is then published in a global Blackchain state. This state can be used to prevent the issuance of certificates to previously malicious users, and also prevents the authority from misbehaving through the transparency implied by a global system state.
Decentralization, on one hand, brings more transparency and trust to the parties involved in transactions,but on the other hand, it narrows possibilities for central control. Distributed Ledger Technology(DLT) is a recent decentralized innovation in the field of information and communication technology(ICT) that acts as self-sustainable ledger for documenting transactions self-protected against counterfeitingand hacker attacks. The aim of the current research paper is to reveal opportunities and barriersfor utilization of distributed ledgers in the context of EU digital single market strategy. The main tasksare (1) to analyze functionality dynamics of existing distributed ledgers, (2) to analyze utilization areasof distributed ledgers, (3) to analyze digital trends related to utilization of distributed ledgers within theEU. The current research paper utilizes methods of content analysis, grounded theory, descriptive statistics,correlation analysis and regression analysis. The research has revealed that half of EU DigitalSingle Market priorities can be facilitated through distributed ledgers.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.eis.0.11.18134
Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency attracting a lot of interest both from the general public and researchers. There is an ongoing debate on the question of users' anonymity: while the Bitcoin protocol has been designed to ensure that the activity of individual users could not be tracked, some methods have been proposed to partially bypass this limitation. In this article, we show how the Bitcoin transaction network can be studied using complex networks analysis techniques, and in particular how community detection can be efficiently used to re-identify multiple addresses belonging to a same user.
In this letter we propose Meta-key, a data-sharing mechanism that enables users share their encrypted data under a blockchain-based decentralized storage architecture. All the data-encryption keys are encrypted by the owner's public key and put onto the blockchain for safe and secure storage and easy key-management. Encrypted data are stored in dedicated storage nodes and proxy re-encryption mechanism is used to ensure secure data-sharing in the untrusted environment. Security analysis of our model shows that the proxy re-encryption adopted in our system is naturally free from collusion-attack due to the specific architecture of Meta-key.
In the last several years, a discreet $100 billion financial system has emerged in the form of cryptocurrency markets. The extraordinary returns generated by cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin has led to a frenzy of investment activity and interest from traditional investors. This interest has, in turn, spawned dozens of cryptocurrency-focused hedge funds to service this growing demand. Moreover, although this trading activity is highly speculative, it is subject to almost no regulatory oversight. Regulators at the IRS, CFTC, and most notably the SEC have only recently established a regulatory framework to govern cryptocurrency activity. Notably, that framework is a functional one, classifying each cryptocurrency either as a security or commodity based on its particular uses. However, most of the established and highly traded cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and Ether, qualify as commodities rather than securities, and thus they are not subject to securities laws. Hedge funds that trade in these cryptocurrency commodities, or âcrypto funds,â fall almost entirely outside the extensive securities regulations that would apply to traditional hedge funds.
This article argues that these crypto funds constitute a new type of financial institution that is not, and cannot be, governed by traditional hedge fund regulation because doing so would disregard the unique operational and technological features of cryptocurrencies. Existing rules and best practices for hedge funds in key areas â such as investor asset custodianship, capital formation, and distribution of returns â are frequently nonsensical or even counterproductive in the context of crypto funds. Without regulatory guidance, crypto funds will need â and have the opportunity â to develop a set of best practices tailored to cryptocurrency trading. In doing so, crypto funds also present a significant opportunity for much-needed financial innovation and problem-solving in the cryptocurrency markets. However, crypto funds also present a far greater risk of fraud or investor losses than a traditional hedge fund, as cryptocurrency markets lack the liquidity, stability, and regulatory certainty of traditional securities markets.
This article concludes with concrete recommendations regarding several of the most salient, cryptocurrency-specific concerns currently facing crypto funds, including (i) the types of cryptocurrencies that should be traded, (ii) the types of potential investors who can provide funding, (iii) internal procedures for safeguarding client assets, (iv) optimizing tax treatment for the fund and its investors, and (v) cryptocurrency-related disclosures to investors. By encouraging the development of uniform best practices across the crypto fund industry, this article provides a starting point for regulators to adopt policies that can address investor protection concerns without strangling the innovation of the emerging cryptocurrency markets.
A recente expansĂŁo global do uso de moedas virtuais passou a ser objeto de debate nos trĂȘs Ășltimos FĂłruns das NaçÔes Unidas sobre Governança da Internet (IGF), de 2014, 2015 e 2016. A capitalização e a rĂĄpida expansĂŁo geogrĂĄfica do uso de criptomoedas chamaram a atenção de pesquisadores e mobilizaram representantes da sociedade civil e empresĂĄrios em vĂĄrias partes do mundo, que demonstraram interesse no desenvolvimento de inovaçÔes impulsionadas pela expansĂŁo do uso globalizado desse novo tipo de atividade econĂŽmica. Os principais objetivos deste trabalho sĂŁo: analisar como a recente crise financeira do capitalismo influiu no surgimento e na expansĂŁo geogrĂĄfica do uso de criptomoedas; refletir sobre serviços e atividades que usam criptomoedas, bitcoin e blockchain; e debater os desafios colocados pelo crescimento desse uso.
Tran Cong Thang, Dang Kim Khoi, Do Huy Thiep, Thai Van Tinh · 5 authors
This study assesses the economic, social, and environmental impacts of Large Field Models (LFMs) and their potential for promoting Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA). In Vietnam, the government introduced the Large Field Model (LFM), a type of production organization, in which enterprises or cooperatives establish a cooperative relationship with farmers to apply a unification production procedure by providing production inputs (including material and technical support) and/or buying outputs from producers. These LFMs can be classified under three different forms based on the extent of those linkages: (1) farmers contribute land and/or labour to farmer cooperatives; (2) farmers sign contracts with cooperatives or enterprises and receive inputs; and (3) farmers lease out/sell their land to cooperatives or enterprises. Although the key objectives of constructing LFMs come from requirements in improving rice quality and rice production efficiency, these models also have potential for applying CSA to achieve three CSA pillars: productivity, resilience and mitigation. Productivity: the LFMs ensure integration between enterprises and farmers, wherein rice production is promoted, given that the output is sold at a more stable price. Therefore, farmers confidently manage their business to increase productivity. In addition, higher output price and lower production cost is observed from LFMsâ production. Better output price comes from the commitments of enterprises and higher rice quality produced from LFMs. The reduction in production costs is also achieved by taking advantage of economy of scale to apply modern agricultural machinery (such as tractors) and thus reduce labour costs. Resilience: this CSA pillar is created indirectly from LFMs. In general, as farmers use LFMs, they have a better chance to access certified seeds and follow the production procedures of enterprises under the direct support from technicians, and they are less likely to be exposed to disease epidemics than non-participant farmers. In addition, farmers who sign contracts with enterprises/cooperatives or work in LFMs tend to share their knowledge and discuss weather issues with technicians before deciding when to sow or harvest to reduce climate risks. Mitigation: the LFM production contributes to reduced GHG emissions. LFMs created a foundation to apply advanced cultivation methods and to follow strictly modern techniques such as: One Must Five Reductions (1M5Rs), Three Reductions Three Gain (3R3G), 4 Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), System of Rice Intensification (SRI), and Deep Fertilizer Placement (DPF). The synchronized irrigation timing or flattened surface field of LFMs also contributes more efficient water use. Moreover, this model changes farmer behaviours toward more efficient and environmentally friendly paddy straw treatment to mitigate environmental impacts. In sum, there are potentials for promoting CSA application in LFMs. The integration developed through LFMs will produce friendly and mutually beneficial networks of farmers to share knowledge and modern techniques. This also encourages farmers to improve cultivating skills and output quality to sustain their contracts with better enterprises in the long run. In addition, the pressure from climate risks will push farmers to act collectively to adapt and mitigate environmental impacts. These potentials should be accompanied by the strong support from the government through its response to climate changes in the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDCs). However, there are still many constraints for expanding CSA application into LFMs. First, traditional cultivation and small landholding habits make it difficult for enterprises to accumulate land to form LFMs. Even when farmers agree to contribute their land to cooperatives, this model is still struggling to establish the appropriate benefit-sharing method in order to keep it working smoothly in the long run, especially due to land price fluctuations. Second, there are infrastructure-related issues. Some types of CSA practices require infrastructure support, for example irrigation systems for applying Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD). Finally, there is a need for a legal mechanism to bind contracts between enterprises and farmers, especially under high price volatility. Vietnamâs policy system to enhance CSA application and expand LFMs is still characterized by limitations related to effectiveness, validation and public-private participation. This requires a change to attract the participation of local government, enterprises, and farmers. For example, experience from other countries shows that in the case of small scale production, legal measures would not be feasible because of high transaction costs. Therefore, using community value to bind farmers to contracts is the most feasible measure that has been proven. In addition, support for developing agricultural insurance and infrastructure investment is important. However, before expanding CSA application into LFMs, detailed studies of LFMs in each region are required because each model might be more efficient for one specific region with a specific crop.
N. Tokareva, A. Gorodilova, S. Agievich, V. Idrisova · 8 authors
The mathematical problems and their solutions of the Third International Students' Olympiad in Cryptography NSUCRYPTO'2016 are presented. We consider mathematical problems related to the construction of algebraic immune vectorial Boolean functions and big Fermat numbers, problems about secrete sharing schemes and pseudorandom binary sequences, biometric cryptosystems and the blockchain technology, etc. Two open problems in mathematical cryptography are also discussed and a solution for one of them proposed by a participant during the Olympiad is described. It was the first time in the Olympiad history.
With the advent of numerous online content providers, utilities and applications, each with their own specific version of privacy policies and its associated overhead, it is becoming increasingly difficult for concerned users to manage and track the confidential information that they share with the providers. Users consent to providers to gather and share their Personally Identifiable Information (PII). We have developed a novel framework to automatically track details about how a users' PII data is stored, used and shared by the provider. We have integrated our Data Privacy ontology with the properties of blockchain, to develop an automated access control and audit mechanism that enforces users' data privacy policies when sharing their data across third parties. We have also validated this framework by implementing a working system LinkShare. In this paper, we describe our framework on detail along with the LinkShare system. Our approach can be adopted by Big Data users to automatically apply their privacy policy on data operations and track the flow of that data across various stakeholders.
Permissioned blockchains are arising as a solution to federate companies prompting accountable interactions. A variety of consensus algorithms for such blockchains have been proposed, each of which has dierent benets and drawbacks. Proof-of-Authority (PoA) is a new family of Byzantine fault-tolerant (BFT) consensus algorithms largely used in practice to ensure better performance than traditional Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT). However, the lack of adequate analysis of PoA hinders any cautious evaluation of their eectiveness in real-world permissioned blockchains deployed over the Internet, hence on an eventually synchronous network experimenting Byzantine nodes.<br> In this paper, we analyse two of the main PoA algorithms, named Aura and Clique, both in terms of provided guarantees and performances. First, we derive their functioning including how messages are exchanged, then we weight, by relying on the CAP theorem, consistency, availability and partition tolerance guarantees. We also report a qualitative latency analysis based on message rounds. The analysis advocates that PoA for per-missioned blockchains, deployed over the Internet with Byzantine nodes, do not provide<br> adequate consistency guarantees for scenarios where data integrity is essential. We claim that PBFT can t better such scenarios, despite a limited loss in terms of performance.
Orbital debris remains as an obstacle to further space development. While efforts are ongoing to avoid newly launched objects becoming debris, the number of debris would still continue to grow because of collisions. ADR (Active Debris Removal) is an effective measure, but building a sustainable economic model for ADR remains as a difficult problem. We propose that the cost of removal can be paid by circulating digital currency tokens on a blockchain platform whose values may decrease and/or increase over time, issued by global cooperation (a consortium) of parties interested in space development, in exchange with proofs of ADR. The tokens pay their cost by themselves through contributions by the token holders, who are likely to be benefited by removal of debris. This scheme imposes virtually no cost to the consortium. We have generalized this concept as POD (Proof of Disposal), which, we believe, provides a more accountable foundation for solving social problems with digital currency than many ICO (Initial Coin or Cryptoasset Offering) in practice today. We evaluated the feasibility of our proposal through a simulation. We conclude that dynamic estimation of the economic values of each ADR and automated pricing of tokens that represent the orbital debris being removed are indeed possible. Actual prototyping of the proposed digital currency system is ongoing.
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) has emerged as one of the most promising technologies to enable the Internet-of-Things (IoT) paradigm. In BLE-based IoT applications, e.g., wearables-oriented service applications, the Bluetooth MAC addresses of devices will be swapped for device pairings. The random address technique is adopted to prevent malicious users from tracking the victim's devices with stationary Bluetooth MAC addresses and accordingly the device privacy can be preserved. However, there exists a tradeoff between privacy and security in the random address technique. That is, when device pairing is launched and one device cannot actually identify another one with addresses, it provides an opportunity for malicious users to break the system security via impersonation attacks. Hence, using random addresses may lead to higher security risks. In this study, we point out the potential risk of using random address technique and then present critical security requirements for BLE-based IoT applications. To fulfill the claimed requirements, we present a privacy-aware mechanism, which is based on elliptic curve cryptography, for secure communication and access-control among BLE-based IoT objects. Moreover, to ensure the security of smartphone application associated with BLE-based IoT objects, we construct a Smart Contract-based Investigation Report Management framework (SCIRM) which enables smartphone application users to obtain security inspection reports of BLE-based applications of interest with smart contracts.
It is well-known that competition for factors of production, including competition for residents, affects the public services provided in the communities. This paper considers the determination of local investment in urban transport systems. Many specialists question the effectiveness of the current U.S. top-to-bottom transportation institutional arrangement in which the federal government plays a dominant role and recommend a shift toward a decentralized organization. We examine how such a shift would affect the levels of transport investment. Specifically, we consider a model of two cities, and assume, as in Brueckner and Selod (2006), that transport systems are characterized by different time and money costs. We compare the outcomes reached when the transport system is decided by a central authority (a state or federal government) to the one decided by each jurisdiction in a decentralized way. In the latter case, city or local transportation authorities choose the system that maximizes residents? welfare, taking as given the decisions made elsewhere, essentially competing for residents (or workers). Our analysis shows that even though a shift toward a decentralized arrangement of the transportation system would generally lead to overinvestment (relative to the centralized case), the extent of this bias depends on the specific factors that drive transport authorities in deciding the transportation system, on the landownership structure, and on the financing arrangements in place. The paper also shows that, in a more general setup, when the two cities differ in their productivity levels, the more productive city will tend to overinvest in transportation systems that connect the two cities, and the less productive city will tend to underinvest in those systems.
John Dixon, Stefano Penazzi, Amar Ramudhin, Ken Hawick
Blockchain technologies have been shown to be able to successfully underpin secure online financial services (e.g. Bitcoin), and have since developed a reputation as a fix-all solution for transparency, accountability and security issues in storing data and transactions in both public and private settings. However, cross-business consortiums with obvious use-cases, such as those evident in the logistics supply chain, are not yet regularly adopting a common blockchain for transaction storage and accountability because of a lack of understanding and trust. Furthermore, because blockchains are commonly designed to send raw data, visible to every connected node, the potential for competitors or unauthorized parties to analyze the common ledger and discover business secrets is a clear cause for apprehension. In this paper, we analyze the problems facing the uptake of blockchain technologies in supply chain management, inspect a relevant supply chain scenario with reference to the place of the blockchain within real-world logistics data management, and describe a technical and architectural approach which allows scalable, private sharing of business data whilst retaining the accountability and integrity of the blockchain.
Muhammad Yunus, Kadek Dewi Wahyuni Andari, Muhammad Addinul Islam
In the National Education System Act of 2003, there was a shift in the paradigm of education from centralized to decentralized, commonly referred to as School Based Management (SBM). With the law, the greater the role of headmaster in establishing various policies, one of which concerns the management of school culture and environment. Therefore the principal must have some competences in performing his duties. The type of research used is descriptive qualitative research conducted at SDN 033 Tarakan in the academic year 2016/2017. Sources of research are primary and secondary data. Informants in the study were principals, two teachers, two students, TU staff, school committees and school supervisors. Data collection techniques in this study are interviews, observation, and documentation. Data analysis techniques used are data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion. Based on the data analysis, the first research is the competence of the principal personality that can be said to be good, but the discipline aspect still needs to be improved. Second is the social competence of the principal is limited to cooperation with committees and guardians. Third is the managerial competence carried out from planning, organizing, implementation, and supervision. Fourth is the competence of supervision where supervision is done 2 times in a year. Fifth is the entrepreneurial competence, there are some efforts of the principal in school financing.
The article explores the problem of the legal regulations of cryptocurrencies, considering socio-economic factors and changes in the modern globalized world.
Bitcoins are bought and sold with most major currencies, and the resulting prices are âexchange ratesâ of currencies per Bitcoin. The price of Bitcoins in national currencies have been quite volatile over the brief period of Bitcoinâs existence. Among national currencies, the possibility of triangular arbitrage leads to near equality of bilateral exchange rates and exchange rates obtained via triangular trade. We explore the relationship between a bilateral exchange rate of two major national currencies and the exchange rate that can be obtained via triangular trade through Bitcoins. Features of the Bitcoin exchanges make it difficult to meet conditions necessary for strict (risk-free) arbitrage, but market pressures from the threat of arbitrage constrain the national currency prices of Bitcoins to adjust toward the bilateral foreign exchange rate obtained in the traditional foreign exchange market. In this paper, we compare the Bitcoin implied exchange rate between the US Dollar and the Chinese Renminbi to the market US Dollar/Renminbi exchange rate, and show that the Bitcoin implied rate adjusts toward the FOREX market rate due to market pressures from the threat of triangular arbitrage. One implication is that the bilateral rate and the triangular trade rate obtained from trade in Bitcoins are cointegrated, and we study the adjustment process when these exchange rates are misaligned.
The article deals with the certain aspects of the criminal law measures appliedto legal entities, the phenomenon of electronic legal entities (Decentralized Autonomous Organization or Decentralized Autonomous Corporation), the possibility of applying criminal law measures to electronic legal entities.
Legal Services industries are entering a period of major disruption caused by new legal technologies (LawTech), such as artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and Blockchain. An area already undergoing major innovation is alternative dispute resolution (Alternative Dispute Resolution (2017) Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_dispute_resolution), especially automated online dispute resolution (Online Dispute Resolution (2017) Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_dispute_resolution; Katsh, E. and Rifkin, J. (2001) Online Dispute Resolution: Resolving Conflicts in Cyberspace. Jossey-Bass Wiley, New Jersey). In terms of LawTech, we broadly divide online dispute resolution into (a) Consumer ODRâuses technology to facilitate the resolution of disputes between ecommerce parties, typically online suppliers and consumers; (b) Judicial ODRâcovers any means of settling âordinaryâ disputes where there is a hearing (using technology) but outside of the courtroom, such as divorce or personal injury cases; and what we refer to as (c) Corporate ODRâthe use of technology to manage the resolution of any contractual disputes that may emerge from major multi-partner projects or financial transactions. This paper focuses on ODR and specifically the future use of automating anticipatory Corporate dispute resolution using AI and blockchain technologies. The paper describes the legal sector, and how it is being radically transformed by computer science.
The most fundamental purpose of blockchain technology is to enable\npersistent, consistent, distributed storage of information. Increasingly common\nare authentication systems that leverage this property to allow users to carry\ntheir personal data on a device while a hash of this data is signed by a\ntrusted authority and then put on a blockchain to be compared against. For\ninstance, in 2015, MIT introduced a schema for the publication of their\nacademic certificates based on this principle. In this work, we propose a way\nfor users to obtain assured identities based on face-to-face proofing that can\nthen be validated against a record on a blockchain. Moreover, in order to\nprovide anonymity, instead of storing a hash, we make use of a scheme of Brands\nto store a commitment against which one can perform zero-knowledge proofs of\nidentity. We also enforce the confidentiality of the underlying data by letting\nusers control a secret of their own. We show how our schema can be implemented\non Bitcoin's blockchain and how to save bandwidth by grouping commitments using\nMerkle trees to minimize the number of Bitcoin transactions that need to be\nsent. Finally, we describe a system in which users can gain access to services\nthanks to the identity records of our proposal.\n
We summarize the results and perspectives from a companion article, where we presented and evaluated an alternative architecture for data storage in distributed networks. We name the bio-inspired architecture RAIN, and it offers file storage service that, in contrast with current centralized cloud storage, has privacy by design, is open source, is more secure, is scalable, is more sustainable, has community ownership, is inexpensive, and is potentially faster, more efficient, and more reliable. We propose that a RAIN-style architecture could form the backbone of the Internet of Things that likely will integrate multiple current and future infrastructures ranging from online services and cryptocurrency to parts of government administration.
Bitcoinsâ technology brings a new level of innovation to business and communication across the world. However, the advantages of a virtual currency payment system face the threat from criminal activities occurring over a pseudonymous network where there is virtually no current regulation to cover illegal transactions. The current situation in Georgia is as follows: the second Bitcoinâs processing datacenter has opened in Georgia. While the virtual money is new even in developed countries, more unusual it is for Georgia, where local economists are more skeptical toward cryptocurrency. Therefore, they believe that electronic money is not controlled by any central bank that gives a lot of opportunities for illegal transactions. According to the Georgian experts, bitcoin is a very risky currency that can be used for money laundering, as it is completely uncontrolled. However, the Georgian central bank system claims that bitcoins are not dangerous, and the lack of awareness gives rise to talk about money laundering. The biggest challenge seems to be regulation of Bitcoin without hindering the potential for growth. While there is usually certainly a chance that Bitcoin could fail or be pushed out of existence by a more innovative technology, policymakers must be careful not to hinder a technology that could change the way global economy functions.
In recent years, hype surrounding the proliferation of blockchain-based technology has been significant. Apart from the creation of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, it has been difficult to determine what practical utility might lie in the adoption of blockchain, mainly because there are so few in existence at present. Even so, interest in the technology has increased tremendously. This paper is a primer for software quality professionals. It briefly describes the history of blockchain technology, attempts to define and disambiguate terminology, fosters a general understanding of how blockchain works, and discusses how and why software quality professionals might want to invest time and energy in learning about, implementing, or using blockchain-based technologies in their own organizations -- or alternatively, improving the quality of blockchain technology itself.