Sharding is one of the most promising technologies for significantly increasing blockchain transaction throughput. However, as the number of shards increases, the ratio of cross-shard transactions in existing blockchain sharding protocols gradually approaches 100%. Since cross-shard transactions consume many times more resources than intra-shard transactions, the processing overhead of cross-shard transactions already accounts for the majority of the total overhead of the sharding system. There is a very large gap between the transaction throughput of the sharding system and its theoretical upper limit. In this article, we propose Estuary, a novel low cross-shard blockchain sharding protocol. Taking the state model as an entry point, Estuary designs a multi-level state model and state splitting and aggregation mechanism. It decouples the identity and quantity of state units, enabling transactions between users to be completed within one shard. Only when the state quantity for all shards of a user is insufficient a small number of cross-shard transactions are required. On this basis, we propose a community overlap propagation algorithm for sharding. It defines the users’ belonging coefficients of each shard and optimizes the state distribution so that the state distribution can better match the transaction characteristics between users. Finally, we develop an analysis framework for the sharding protocol and experiment with real Bitcoin transactions. The evaluation results show that compared to the state-of-the-art sharding protocol, Estuary reduces the ratio of cross-shard transactions by 88.54% and achieves more than 1.85 times the throughput improvement (92.98% of the theoretical upper limit).
Abstract Decentralized applications (DApps) built on blockchain platforms such as Ethereum and coded in languages such as Solidity, have recently gained attention for their potential to disrupt traditional centralized systems. Despite their rapid adoption, limited research has been conducted to understand the underlying code structure of these applications. In particular, each DApp is composed of multiple smart contracts, each containing a number of functions that can be called to trigger a specific event, e.g., a token transfer. In this paper, we reconstruct and analyse the network of contracts and functions calls within the DApp, which is helpful to unveil vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious attackers. We show how decentralization is architecturally implemented, identifying common development patterns and anomalies that could influence the system’s robustness and efficiency. We find a consistent network structure characterized by modular, self-sufficient contracts and a complex web of function interactions, indicating common coding practices across the blockchain community. Critically, a small number of key functions within each DApp play a central role in maintaining network connectivity, making them potential targets for cyber attacks and highlighting the need for robust security measures.
In recent years, decentralized applications (dApps) built on blockchain platforms such as Ethereum and coded in languages such as Solidity, have gained attention for their potential to disrupt traditional centralized systems. Despite their rapid adoption, limited research has been conducted to understand the underlying code structure of these applications. In particular, each dApp is composed of multiple smart contracts, each containing a number of functions that can be called to trigger a specific event, e.g., a token transfer. In this paper, we reconstruct and analyse the network of contracts and functions calls within the dApp, which is helpful to unveil vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious attackers. We show how decentralization is architecturally implemented, identifying common development patterns and anomalies that could influence the system's robustness and efficiency. We find a consistent network structure characterized by modular, self-sufficient contracts and a complex web of function interactions, indicating common coding practices across the blockchain community. Critically, a small number of key functions within each dApp play a pivotal role in maintaining network connectivity, making them potential targets for cyber attacks and highlighting the need for robust security measures.
Fernando Román-García, Juan Hernández‐Serrano, Óscar Esparza
This article introduces the Non-Repudiable Data Exchange (NoRDEx) protocol, designed to ensure non-repudiation in data exchanges. Unlike traditional non-repudiation and fair exchange protocols, NoRDEx can be considered decentralized as it eliminates the need for a centralized Trusted Third Party (TTP) by using a Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) to store cryptographic proofs without revealing the exchanged message. NoRDEx is an optimistic non-repudiation protocol, as it only uses the DLT in case of a dispute. The protocol has been implemented and tested in real-world environments, with performance assessments covering cost, overhead, and execution time. A formal security analysis using the Syverson Van Oorschot (SVO) logical model demonstrates NoRDEx’s ability to resolve disputes securely.
The last decade has changed the trends of using peering networks. One of the areas of use of P2P networks is communication between people. Today, it is very important that communication is as protected as possible, especially if it is carried out between employees of the enterprise, because the number of cyber threats is constantly increasing. Modern approaches to the security of peering networks consist of data encryption, node authentication, detection and prevention of malicious nodes, access restriction, traffic monitoring, etc. However, one of the very first steps is the exchange of identification data itself, and this process must be as secure and secure as possible. The article proposes a method of secure exchange of identification data between peering network nodes, based on the use of NFC technology in combination with proof of zero knowledge. NFC is used for direct data exchange over the radio interface, which, thanks to its short range, makes it impossible to intercept data. To establish a connection, nodes must exchange identifiers, public encryption keys, and network addresses. In order to find out whether a node is not malicious, mutual verification of nodes using zero-knowledge proof is assumed. A unique identifier of the GUID type generated by each of the nodes acts as a secret that is not disclosed. Nodes first exchange public keys that encrypt and exchange identifiers. After decryption with their private keys, the nodes check whether the received value is equal to the initial one. In case of equality of values, the nodes are mutually verified and exchange identification data. The method proposed in the article is aimed at ensuring fault tolerance and confidentiality. It also provides protection against traffic interception attacks and the reliability of the verification process.
Cryptocurrency markets exhibit high volatility, necessitating accurate forecasting methods for effective decision-making. This paper presents an innovative approach that integrates web scraping from cryptocurrency websites with various deep-learning networks to predict cryptocurrency values for the following day. Our web scraping technique integrated with concept like multi-threading focuses exclusively on cryptocurrency websites, extracting essential data such as live price records making use of crucial computer technology concepts like multi-threading. Combined with a suite of deep learning models including LSTM, GRU, and XgBoost, this data facilitates the modelling of temporal dependencies crucial for understanding cryptocurrency price dynamics. Through empirical evaluation, we determine the model that outperforms others and integrate it into a dashboard for real-time prediction. By leveraging real-time insights from web scraping, our model aims to enhance prediction accuracy. This research contributes to the advancement of predictive analytics in cryptocurrency trading, providing actionable insights for investors and analysts amidst fluctuating market conditions.
Daniel Mawunyo Doe, Jing Li, Dusit Niyato, Yuqing Hu · 8 authors
In this paper, we address key challenges in Proof-of-Stake (PoS) blockchains, with a particular focus on Ethereum 2.0. We introduce an innovative mechanism that combines Tullock contests and signaling games to optimize weight assignments based on security deposits from heterogeneous nodes. While Tullock contests motivate participants to allocate resources for potential rewards, signaling games enable efficient information transfer, thereby enriching decision-making. This approach enhances network security, efficiency, and resilience by incentivizing resource investment and facilitating effective information exchange. Our framework significantly outperforms existing methods, achieving a 45.43% increase in blockchain utility and a 47.92% rise in node utility. Additionally, it yields marked improvements in user participation rates (26.89 − 32.21%) and service coverage (24 − 29.54%), and also proves to be resilient against attacks from selfish nodes.
The InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) has emerged in 2015 as a promising peerto-peer (P2P) distributed file-sharing system poised to become the backbone of Web3.However, its BitSwap protocol, responsible for block exchange, encounters redundancy issues when multiple peers respond with duplicate blocks.To address this limitation, we propose CodedBitSwap, an innovative network coding-based data exchange protocol that integrates Random Linear Network Coding (RLNC) into BitSwap.Considering that RLNC operations incur additional computational overhead, the RLNC-based protocol is designed with careful attention to its computational complexity that is investigated through trial experiments guiding the selection of coding parameters and structures.To assess the feasibility and performance of CodedBitSwap, an experimental evaluation that compares it with BitSwap was conducted in different scenarios xv using a controlled testbed environment consisting of 11 nodes exchanging three files of different sizes.During file exchange, the amount of data transmitted, download time, and encoding and decoding times were measured for each node.The evaluation results demonstrate that CodedBitSwap effectively eliminates redundancy at a relatively low cost of increased download time.The introduced RLNC computational complexity was optimized by the generation-based design strategy that minimizes it, ensuring that the cost of the reduced redundancy remains relatively low.The undertaken design methodology of CodedBitSwap offers a practical approach for future systems, which balances the overhead of RLNC coding with the benefits it brings.This work contributes to the advancement of network coding in P2P networks and demonstrates its potential to improve the efficiency of IPFS, opening up avenues for future research.
Blockchain technology holds great potential for the gaming industry, but its inherent complexity can create significant barriers for game developers. Throughput's "Ledger as a Service" (LaaS) solution addresses this challenge, making blockchain technology and its benefits accessible to the gaming sector. By minimizing costs and technical overheads, it allows developers to prioritize building innovative and immersive game experiences. This research presents Throughput, a blockchain platform designed to excel in the gaming environment. Its groundbreaking approach employs a single process to manage multiple ledgers from different blockchains. This maximizes efficiency, reduces complexity, and significantly lowers the costs associated with running a layer 1 blockchain – critical advantages for supporting the resource-intensive nature of games. Throughput's consensus algorithm is carefully engineered to handle the demands of real-time gameplay, ensuring high throughput, minimal latency, and fast transaction confirmations. The ability for a single node to maintain multiple ledgers can be a significant breakthrough and can enable a validator to run multiple blockchains on single node with unified consensus. This efficiency boost not only saves resources but promotes exciting possibilities for interoperability, cross-game collaboration, and seamless asset exchange across different gaming blockchains. Furthermore, Throughput's validators benefit from increased block rewards by validating blocks across multiple ledgers. This unique incentive model encourages the maintenance of a robust and secure network, benefiting the entire gaming ecosystem. In conclusion, Throughput simplifies the integration of blockchain technology for game developers and offers features tailored explicitly to the needs of the gaming industry. By offloading complex node management, Throughput empowers developers to focus on their core strengths – ultimately accelerating the adoption of blockchain in gaming and driving innovation throughout the sector.
This paper examines decentralized governance and DAOs in Web3, emphasizing balanced tokenomics to empower users. It discusses management protocols and optimized grant programs for diverse project support. By citing real-world statistics, it highlights DAO growth and the need to lower cognitive barriers to Web3 entry, aiming to advance security, evolution, and inclusivity in decentralized finance.
This paper presents MindTheDApp, a toolchain designed specifically for the structural analysis of Ethereum-based Decentralized Applications (DApps), with a distinct focus on a complex network-driven approach. Unlike existing tools, our toolchain combines the power of ANTLR4 and Abstract Syntax Tree (AST) traversal techniques to transform the architecture and interactions within smart contracts into a specialized bipartite graph. This enables advanced network analytics to highlight operational efficiencies within the DApp’s architecture. The bipartite graph generated by the proposed tool comprises two sets of nodes: one representing smart contracts, interfaces, and libraries, and the other including functions, events, and modifiers. Edges in the graph connect functions to smart contracts they interact with, offering a granular view of interdependencies and execution flow within the DApp. This network-centric approach allows researchers and practitioners to apply complex network theory in understanding the robustness, adaptability, and intricacies of decentralized systems. Our work contributes to the enhancement of security in smart contracts by allowing the visualisation of the network, and it provides a deep understanding of the architecture and operational logic within DApps. Given the growing importance of smart contracts in the blockchain ecosystem and the emerging application of complex network theory in technology, our toolchain offers a timely contribution to both academic research and practical applications in the field of blockchain technology.
Many businesses seeking new capabilities that blockchains may offer are deterred from fully embracing the technology due to fears of the classic "vendor lock-in" and platform-capture into one specific blockchain. From an asset-centric perspective, most business applications seek certain desirable functional guarantees with regard to the state of the tokenized asset on the blockchain. These new capabilities must be accessible through standardized service interfaces. The emerging tokenized asset networks based on decentralized ledger technology must integrate seamlessly into existing financial IT systems through similar standard interfaces. As such, if blockchains are to be a foundational technology in the future Web3 Internet of Value, then several classes and types of standardized APIs must be specified, published, and widely deployed by the nascent tokenized asset industry. These standard APIs must provide business applications with a single uniform interface to the many and varied blockchains today, thereby reducing business IT costs and preventing platform-capture.
Ethereum is undergoing significant changes to its architecture as it evolves. These changes include its switch to PoS consensus and the introduction of significant infrastructural changes that do not require a change to the core protocol, but that fundamentally affect the way users interact with the network. These changes represent an evolution toward a more modular architecture, in which there exists new exogenous vectors for centralization. This paper builds on previous studies of decentralization of Ethereum to reflect these recent significant changes, and Ethereum's new modular paradigm.