Blockchain Papers

Sung-Hyun Yun

No abstract is available for this record.

David T. Shaw, Daniel W. Engels

The current legal and economic infrastructure facilitating data collection practices and data analysis has led to extreme over-collection of data and the overall loss of personal privacy. Data over-collection has led to a secondary market for consumer data that is invisible to the consumer and results in a person's data being distributed far beyond their knowledge or control. In this paper, we propose a Data Market framework and design for personal data management and privacy protection in which the individual controls and profits from the dissemination of their data. Our proposed Data Market uses a market-based approach utilizing blockchain distributed ledgers for data distribution transparency and control and digital rights management technologies to provide for data confidentiality and secure distribution of the data. Our market framework and design provides an economic, legal, and advanced technology infrastructure that protects an individuals' right to privacy while nurturing a flourishing information economy.

Jeon-Je Lee, Man-Jae Cho, Seokheon Cho

No abstract is available for this record.

Christoph H.-J. Braun, Tobias Käfer

We showcase our approach to verify off-chained information using Linked Data, Smart Contracts, and RDF graph hashes stored on a Distributed Ledger. In this demo, we present our implementation and a use case from the supply chain domain.

Xuan Yang

Ethereum smart contracts are paving their way into the future of commerce and high stakes are placed upon the correct implementation of their specifications. However, in the history of Ethereum, several vulnerabilities have been exploited which compromised the trust and effectiveness of smart contracts. Errors in executable specification languages are especially challenging to detect using a static approach. Therefore, a dynamic runtime monitoring approach is often preferred. The proposed approach, Vultron, a generalised solution which is not limited in its capabilities, can proactively detect vulnerabilities during runtime, and pre-emptively alter the function execution.
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\nFor Vultron, we look at inserting operations into smart contracts to manipulate the gas instrumentation of Ethereum such that additional debugging instructions can be executed without affecting the gas consumption. This is achieved through modifying both the Solidity compiler and Ethereum Virtual Machine. The source code of the compiler and virtual machine are open-sourced and can be viewed on GitHub.
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\nThe modifications to the compiler and virtual machine illustrate the feasibility of adding custom gas manipulating operations and serve as fundamental building blocks of a fully developed and automated runtime monitoring approach. Given the limitations of static solutions and the advantages of a runtime monitoring approach, we highly recommend adopting Vultron in advancing towards secure smart contracts.

Tan, Sean Jun Yu

This project focuses on making it easy for both developers and non-developers to develop smart contracts for solidity on the Ethereum blockchain. Our tool, LATTE, visually represents and simplifies the concepts in blockchain, which is still in its infancy. Graphical objects and diagrams are used to represent code and logic, which will allow quicker prototyping of smart contracts. LATTE also allows easy deployment of smart contract code on to the blockchain with the click of a button. We also examine the performance and gas usage of smart contracts generated using LATTE and compare it to reference smart contracts. This document summarises all design issues, challenges faced and the steps taken to complete the project.

Sooyeon Lee, Hyungkun Jung, Eun-Sun Cho

No abstract is available for this record.

Piotr Stolarski, Włodzimierz Lewoniewski

No abstract is available for this record.

Shelina Lusandro

Blockchain has been a trending topic in the technology industry for the past few years because of its infrastructure to support a decentralized system as opposed to the conventional centralized server. Smart Contracts as enablers of transactions integrated within blockchain have been used to drive different functionalities on blockchain. Different use cases have been tried to exploit these functionalities with the goal of finding the most effective usage for this revolutionary technology. One possible use case is also trending in the business sector as it fuelled some of the fastest growing businesses of the past years, the sharing economy. This project explores the feasibility of integrating sharing application with blockchain. This decentralized application (DApp) introduces the design and implementation of a Web-based peer-to-peer (P2P) rental application which leverages Ethereum blockchain and Smart contract. It allows users to participate in the transactions as lenders and borrowers to share their unused everyday object in the platform without involvement of a Trusted Third Party (TTP). Trust to this system is enabled by using deposits to increase compliance and loyalty between parties in a contract. As an addition to the basic trade contract, the application also supports disputes resolution with voting and rating system.
\nThe end goal of this application is to create a fully functional DApp that promotes self-sovereignty, savings, and security. Users control how their data is being shared and used. Additionally, it requires low transaction fee with no commission, platform, and exchange rate fee. Finally, blockchain is secure because all the transactions are validated by other users and appended into the immutable blockchain.

Timothy Nugent, Fabio Petroni, Benedict Whittam Smith, Jochen L. Leidner

No abstract is available for this record.

Christoph H.-J. Braun, Tobias Käfer

We present an approach to verify off-chained information using Linked Data, Smart Contracts, and RDF graph hashes stored on a Distributed Ledger. We use the notion of a Linked Pedigree, i.e. a decentralised dataset for storing hyperlinked information, as modelling foundation. We evaluate our approach by comparing different ways to build the Smart Contract. We develop a cost model and show, based on our implementation, that for managing multiple Linked Pedigree instances, a single larger Smart Contract is superior to multiple smaller Smart Contracts for supply chains shorter than 50 participants.

Luke Riley, Grammateia Kotsialou, Amrita Dhillon, Toktam Mahmoodi · 6 authors

This work demonstrates how a multi-company shareholder rights management system has been implemented using Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). In this demo1, we use a permissioned blockchain to store our corporate data, such as the list of all registered companies, each company's shareholders and how many shares everyone holds. It is assumed that the nodes of the blockchain are controlled by the main stakeholder agents but we show that users who do not run a node can still use multiple websites to access company information. On top of this, we show our system can be used to allow any shareholder to participate in elections for company matters. Lastly, we describe how we designed our system's architecture so that it could be implemented even on a public blockchain. Montreal, Canada.

Kris Joseph

The 2008 debut of Bitcoin marked the first large-scale implementation of blockchain technology, and its decentralized approach to monetary systems has since been abstracted to more generalized purposes like distributed computing. Platforms like Ethereum, which function as a global, decentralized computing and data storage system, promise to bring the cost of decentralized knowledge production in line with the efficiencies afforded by the centralized, integrated computing systems that currently dominate the knowledge economy. Blockchain technologies have been investigated for a wide range of information management purposes, but their exploration within the realm of library and information studies has largely been nascent. Though many applications within the field have been envisioned, few have been explored in depth. Among the many functions performed in the field of librarianship, the work of cataloguers—which has always been performed in a decentralized manner—represents an intriguing use case. A review of current shared-cataloguing practices reveals that catalogues have become largely-centralized, divorced from public participation, dominated by an ethos of efficiency at the cost of quality, and essentially unaltered since the shift from physical to electronic catalogue storage more than 40 years ago. The evolution of blockchain technologies, paired with an intentional approach to shared catalogues that is open for use, transparency, and public participation, is explored in a conceptual framework and design based on the Ethereum platform. A theoretical design scheme grounded in the affordances of Ethereum, shaped by the principles of open source software development, and guided by the best practices of existing social information production systems results in a proposal for Catagora: an open source, open-for-use, transparent and participatory shared-cataloguing platform that reverses the trend towards architectural and political centralization and promises novel catalogue features such as complete revision history and distributed collaboration on the content and quality of catalogue entries. Blockchain technology, alone, cannot disrupt shared cataloguing practices; such a shift involves the voluntary and eager participation of cataloguers and members of the public in order to sustain and grow the system. The Catagora design concept presented in this thesis incorporates accessibility, collaboration and reputational systems that are intended to foster open participation, but these alone cannot guarantee a thriving, shared-cataloguing alternative to existing systems. Further exploration, in the form of a live implementation, is warranted; and lessons from existing large-scale library technology projects suggest that a centrally-coordinated implementation, targeting key cataloguing partners and driven by a passionate project champion, may provide a more complete picture of the blockchain’s potential to support open, shared cataloguing for the benefit of information seekers.

Peng Qian, Zhenguang Liu, Xun Wang, Chen Jianhai · 6 authors

The protection of digital resource copyrights has drawn extensive public concern in the past decade. Traditional methods, however, fail to satisfy the requirements due to their poor timeliness, frequent infringement, and cumbersome in rights confirmation, etc. In this paper, we investigate and design a novel approach for cross-platform digital resource rights confirmation and infringement tracking based on smart contracts. We utilize smart contracts to realize rights transactions and protection. As another contribution, we propose to establish fine-grained digital resource rights, which are divided into ownership and usufruct. For tracking infringement acts, we invoke smart contracts to extract the rights transfer chain for resources. Furthermore, we reveal the source of resource leakage by embedding digital watermarks when distributing the resources. By combining resource rights transfer chain and digital watermarking, we can effectively achieve digital resource rights confirmation and infringement tracking. Extensive experiments show the effectiveness of our proposed method.

Tong Zhou, Xiaofeng Li, He Zhao

In the current identity management process, the problems such as increasing differentiation of digital identities, fragmentation and centralisation of identity information have been exposed. In this paper, a framework, named EverSSDI, using smart contracts in an Ethereum-based blockchain is constructed, which provides a unique identifier to normalise differentiated user identities. A fine-grained authorisation mechanism is designed based on the Hierarchical Deterministic protocol (HD protocol) to solve the fragmentation problem of identity information. Besides, a reliable information verification mechanism is elaborated to enhance the credibility of the digital information. In addition, two novel methods are proposed for identity recovery, one of which is based on Social Networking Services (SNS) authorisation and the other Ethereum Oracles. The final implementation and discussion show that the user has self-sovereign management authority, which enables the user to become the real dominant of his/her identity rather than only a prover of digital identity.

Keundug Park, Dae Kyung Kim, Heung Youl Youm

No abstract is available for this record.

Sijia Zhao, Donal O’Mahony

In this paper, we explore the design and construct a prototype implementation of an Ethereum application, BMCProtector, which is based on Blockchain and Smart Contract technology, to protect music copyright and ensure rights holders income rights. With the blockchain, musicians can easily authorize and manage their music copyright on a public ledger. Without intermediaries being involved during the propagation process, rights holders can receive a greater share of royalty payments from the music industry automatically and instantly. We deal with piracy issues using encryption and watermarking methods. We also introduce a versioning mechanism to update the data in the smart contract for correcting mistakes made by the publisher. BMCProtector provides a solution to protect music copyright more effectively.

Rachel O’Dwyer

This article examines the use of the blockchain to create limited editions of digital art with a particular focus on the business models of two companies: Monegraph and Ascribe. For some, the development of blockchain technologies and smart contracts suggests an opportunity for artists to protect their work from misuse and expropriation. For others, it suggests the possibility of stronger forms of digital rights management, going forward, that may negatively impact digital culture. However, this article argues that the aim of limited editions on the blockchain is not usually to institute stronger restrictions over use or a new form of digital rights management but rather to create new kinds of tradable digital assets. In turn, this trend implies a different operation of intellectual property rights with respect to digital culture, one where alienation rather than exclusion is significant, and a different operation of scarcity with respect to digital cultural goods, where their free circulation is not necessarily antithetical to profit.

Shruti Tripathi

Blockchain is currently one of the most widely discussed and hyped technologies. It has the potential to disrupt existing but also to enable new business models — The top 3 key takeaways in the blockchain technology in the media industry are: New pricing option for paid content using Blockchain: Blockchain makes even micro-cent payments cost-efficient. Current cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin or Ethereum permit transactions as small as fractions of cents. It is thus an enabler for penny price content purchases, such as paying for reading a single news article or streaming a single song. Also, traditionally ad-sponsored content such as YouTube videos can be monetized with an “ad-free” alternative for a small fee. — Consumption of paid content without boundaries: National / regional limitations of paid content subscriptions and DRM complexities will be decreased by the Blockchain. Blockchain is not a technical prerequisite for this endeavor since more sophisticated Digital Rights Management systems are also capable of dealing with complexities like multi-country access. Nevertheless, the blockchain has the potential to make DRM systems obsolete or at least to reduce the complexity of these systems, because every transaction/ consumption is tracked in the blockchain and directly linked to a user. The payment will be automatically initiated according to the underlying smart contract terms for the content. — Smart contracts: Ethereum, the second-largest blockchain network by market capitalization, was the first platform to introduce the concept of a smart contract. Smart contracts enable counterparties to automate transaction tasks that are typically performed manually and that require the involvement of third-party intermediaries. Smart contract technology can result in processes that are faster and more accurate and cost-efficient. — Challenges in implementing blockchain technology: — • Trust in blockchain technologies and platforms — • Opaqueness of blockchain platforms and standards due to quickly-changing market participants — • Usability and reach of blockchain technologies in everyday environments — • Interoperability of platforms and various standards needs to be secured

Niels Thorwirth

This paper explains how the distributed ledger technology that has successfully decentralized currencies can be used to enable a decentralized marketplace for digital content rights. Today, multiple centralized rights lockers from companies and consortiums offer similar but incompatible systems to register a consumer's video purchases and manage content rights. Each is representing a monopoly that centrally governs the content rights and is motivated to do so only for as long as it remains profitable. — Blockchain technology can be used to establish a permanent, secure, decentralized and distributed registry for content registration, assignment and archival of rights. The benefits of leveraging blockchain for video content distribution and content rights management provide longevity that is independent of a single standard, company or governance body as well as security of transactions with cryptographic guarantee of entitlements and grants of content licenses that cannot be changed and verified permanently. Lastly, the distributed and replicated nature of the peer-to-peer (P2P) network provides resiliency, eliminating a single point of failure as well as the need to rely on just one single standard, company or governance body. This paper will provide a novel system design that explains how a blockchain can be applied to not only manage content rights but to also secure content by including digital rights management (DRM) and playback control as an integral part of the decentralized network. It also details how to improve common ledger technology to overcome concerns of performance and abuse that are relevant to this application.

Zhaofeng Ma, Weihua Huang, Hongmin Gao

With the development of Internet technology, transmitting, editing and misusing the digital multimedia bring great challenges in misusing detection for multimedia content protection. In this paper we proposed an artwork image digital rights management scheme for Internet misusing detection based on watermark and blockchain with robustness and high-level security. We embed artwork right information such as author, RightHolder, Date and Location information into the artwork image data. In the scheme, we use image Arnold transform to enhance the security and use image DCT coefficients of middle frequency to embed watermark for robustness. In the transparence of watermark, HVS and Watson models are used to control the watermark strength, which can enhance the invisibility. Once the suspicious image data from Internet are misused and spreading the image data on Internet without authorization, especially the high value artwork image data, we can trace the misuse responsibility by extracting the watermark. And according to the above algorithm, we implemented the scheme as DRMChain based on the consortium blockchain which stored the artwork and DRM information in an un-tampered ledger for decentralized rights confirmation. Large amount of experiments indicate the proposed watermark-based trusted blockchain DRM scheme is secure, robust, and for the protection and misuse detection of image data.

Joshua Ellul, Gordon J. Pace

The notion of smart contracts in distributed ledger systems have been hailed as a safe way of enforcing contracts between participating parties. However, unlike legal contracts, which talk about ideal behaviour and consequences of not adhering to such behaviour, smart contracts are by their very nature executable code, giving explicit instructions on how to achieve compliance. Executable specification languages, particularly Turing complete ones, are notoriously known for the difficulty of ensuring correctness, and recent incidents which led to huge financial losses due to bugs in smart contracts, have highlighted this issue. In this paper we show how standard techniques from runtime verification can be used in the domain of smart contracts, including a novel stake-based instrumentation technique which ensures that the violating party provides insurance for correct behaviour. The techniques we describe have been partially implemented in a proof-of-concept tool ContractLarva, which we discuss in this paper.

S Ramani, Sri Vishva E, Lakshit Dua, Arya Abrol · 5 authors

No abstract is available for this record.

Jeho Song, SangHyeok Kim, Sung-Yong Park

최근에 ICO(Initial Coin Offering)가 활성화되면서 이더리움 네트워크에 트랜잭션 발생이 짧은 시간에 급증하였고, 그 결과 이더리움의 시간당 거래 처리량이 현저하게 떨어지는 현상이 나타났었다. 본 논문에서는 이러한 현상을 사설 블록체인 환경에서 서로 다른 복잡도를 가진 3가지의 스마트 컨트랙트로 실험하였다. 그 결과, 블록당 트랜잭션의 수가 감소하는 현상을 보이면서 수행속도가 크게 떨어지는 현상이 나타났다. 결과 분석 및 결론에서 성능 저하의 이유를 분석하고, 어떤 스마트 컨트랙트의 특징이 실험 결과에 어떻게 영향을 주었는지 설명한다.