498 research outputs found

    Finding traitors in secure networks using Byzantine agreements

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    Secure networks rely upon players to maintain security and reliability. However not every player can be assumed to have total loyalty and one must use methods to uncover traitors in such networks. We use the original concept of the Byzantine Generals Problem by Lamport [8], and the more formal Byzantine Agreement describe by Linial [10], to find traitors in secure networks. By applying general fault-tolerance methods to develop a more formal design of secure networks we are able to uncover traitors amongst a group of players. We also propose methods to integrate this system with insecure channels. This new resiliency can be applied to broadcast and peer-to-peer secure com- munication systems where agents may be traitors or be- come unreliable due to faults

    Cloud Anchor: An Exploration of Service Integrity Attestation with Hardware Roots of Trust

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    Distributed computing has enabled developers and researchers to solve complex problems at an impressive scale. Users implicitly trust these subtasks to be performed accurately and this trust can be abused by malicious service providers who aim to compromise the integrity of the system. These problems can be solved by using dedicated hardware; however it is expensive or impossible to distribute this solution to all providers in a system. In this paper, we explore InTest, a service integrity attestation framework that uses replay-based consistency checks to detect malicious service providers without the use of dedicated hardware. We investigate if its performance is affected by network topology, its accuracy in the face of incomplete information, and if it can be improved by minimally utilizing dedicated hardware. Our preliminary solution, Cloud Anchor, reduces the number of duplicated tasks by 30% while providing identical detection rates as the prior solution

    A P2P Networking Simulation Framework For Blockchain Studies

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    Recently, blockchain becomes a disruptive technology of building distributed applications (DApps). Many researchers and institutions have devoted their resources to the development of more effective blockchain technologies and innovative applications. However, with the limitation of computing power and financial resources, it is hard for researchers to deploy and test their blockchain innovations in a large-scape physical network. Hence, in this dissertation, we proposed a peer-to-peer (P2P) networking simulation framework, which allows to deploy and test (simulate) a large-scale blockchain system with thousands of nodes in one single computer. We systematically reviewed existing research and techniques of blockchain simulator and evaluated their advantages and disadvantages. To achieve generality and flexibility, our simulation framework lays the foundation for simulating blockchain network with different scales and protocols. We verified our simulation framework by deploying the most famous three blockchain systems (Bitcoin, Ethereum and IOTA) in our simulation framework. We demonstrated the effectiveness of our simulation framework with the following three case studies: (a) Improve the performance of blockchain by changing key parameters or deploying new directed acyclic graph (DAG) structure protocol; (b) Test and analyze the attack response of Tangle-based blockchain (IOTA) (c) Establish and deploy a new smart grid bidding system for demand side in our simulation framework. This dissertation also points out a series of open issues for future research

    Evaluating Byzantine-Based Blockchain Consensus Algorithms for Sarawak’s Digitalized Pepper Value Chain

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    A chosen network structure of Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT), a Byzantine-based consensus algorithm, is proposed to minimize some of the identified pain points faced by the pepper stakeholders. Byzantine-based consensus algorithms are used to achieve the same agreement on a single data value, including transactions and block state, and to maintain system continuity even when several nodes have failed to respond or transmit inconsistent messages in the blockchain network

    Blockchain in Enterprise Solutions: Assessing the Suitability of Blockchain for Corporate Sustainability Reporting

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    The aim of this master’s thesis was to assess the suitability of blockchain technology as enterprise solution for corporate sustainability reporting through evaluating the technological properties and enterprise use-cases of blockchain technology and challenges in corporate sustainability reporting. Furthermore, a special focus on literature review was to demystify the properties of blockchain technology that provide its most well-known qualities. In this thesis, blockchain technology was assessed through a review of prior literature, and the current state of corporate sustainability reporting was mainly evaluated through data collected in expert interviews. Blockchain technology has been found to have potential as an enterprise solution for a large number of corporate functions, such as supply chain management and accounting. Global corporations have publicly announced to be piloting with the technology in recent years. However, a level of technological abstraction prohibits the visibility of how the technology is concretely improving existing processes. Prior research exists on both levels, on high-level enterprise use-cases and technological deep dives, but rarely together. Corporate sustainability reporting is becoming more harmonised and standardized due to EU regulations such as the corporate sustainability reporting directive (CSRD) and EU Taxonomy. Corporations subject to the regulations are facing challenges in sourcing and managing the data required for compliant reporting. For blockchain implementations in corporate sustainability reporting, prior research is very limited and research including a more detailed technological evaluation of blockchain does not seem to exist to the knowledge of this thesis. This thesis fills a gap in the literature by providing in-depth insights into the suitability of blockchain technology for enterprise solutions, with a specific focus on sustainability reporting. Unlike previous studies that primarily address high-level concepts, this research offers a comprehensive explanation of blockchain basics, catering to readers who may not be familiar with the technology. Furthermore, given the novelty of sustainability reporting solutions, it is crucial to explore alternative options beyond traditional systems. The main findings of this thesis validated the presumed challenges corporations face in accustoming to the new sustainability regulation and highlighted the need for efficient IT solutions to manage the vast amounts of data points and insights required for compliant reporting. While blockchain-based solutions certainly have the potential to streamline and manage the reporting process, no indications of advantages over more traditional systems built on shared databases were found. Rather, this thesis highlighted the very specific advantages and use-cases blockchain technology currently has over traditional data management solutions, which are not currently relevant in the case of corporate sustainability reporting. As both enterprise blockchains and corporate sustainability reporting systems continue to evolve and mature, this research emphasizes the need for a fresh perspective and deeper examination of the topic. By shedding light on the challenges faced by corporations in adapting to new sustainability regulations and evaluating the potential of blockchain technology as an enterprise solution for sustainability reporting, this thesis offers valuable insights and calls for further exploration in this rapidly evolving field.Tämän pro gradu -tutkielma tavoitteena oli arvioida lohkoketjuteknologian soveltuvuutta teknologiaratkaisuksi yritysten kestävyysraportointiin arvioimalla lohkoketjuteknologian teknologisia ominaisuuksia sekä yrityskäyttötapauksia, että yritysten kestävyysraportoinnin haasteita. Lisäksi kirjallisuuskatsaukseen keskityttiin erityisesti lohkoketjuteknologian ominaisuuksien esittelemiseen, jotka ovat sen tunnetuimpien ominaisuuksien takana. Tässä tutkielmassa lohkoketjuteknologiaa arvioitiin kirjallisuuskatsauksen avulla, ja yritysten kestävän kehityksen raportoinnin nykytilaa arvioitiin pääasiassa asiantuntijahaastatteluissa kerätyn tiedon avulla. Lohkoketjuteknologialla on todettu olevan potentiaalia yritysratkaisuna monissa yritystoiminnoissa, kuten toimitusketjujen hallinnassa ja kirjanpidossa. Suuret globaalit yritykset ovat viime vuosina julkisesti ilmoittaneet pilotoivansa teknologiaa. Teknologinen abstraktiotaso estää kuitenkin usein suoraan näkemästä, miten lohkoketjuteknologia todellisuudessa parantaa nykyisiä prosesseja. Aiempaa tutkimusta on tehty molemmilla tasoilla, sekä korkean tason yrityskäyttötapauksista, että teknologian syvemmistä tasoista, mutta harvoin yhdessä. Yritysten kestävän kehityksen raportointi on yhdenmukaistumassa ja standardisoitumassa EU:n säädösten, kuten yritysten kestävän kehityksen raportointia koskevan direktiivin (CSRD) ja EU taksonomian ansiosta. Säädösten piiriin kuuluvilla yrityksillä on haasteita vaatimustenmukaiseen raportointiin tarvittavien tietojen hankinnassa ja hallinnassa. Lohkoketjutoteutuksia yritysten kestävän kehityksen raportointia varten on tutkittu hyvin vähän, eikä tämän tutkielman tietämyksen mukaan näytä olevan olemassa tutkimusta, joka myös sisältäisi lohkoketjujen yksityiskohtaisemman teknologisen arvioinnin. Tämä tutkielma täyttää kirjallisuudessa olevan aukon tarjoamalla syvällistä tietoa lohkoketjuteknologian soveltuvuudesta yritysratkaisuihin keskittyen erityisesti kestävän kehityksen raportointiin. Toisin kuin aiemmissa tutkimuksissa, joissa käsitellään pääasiassa korkean tason käsitteitä, tämä tutkimus tarjoaa kattavan selityksen lohkoketjun perusteista, mikä palvelee lukijoita, jotka eivät ehkä tunne teknologiaa. Lisäksi kestävyysraportointiratkaisujen uutuuden vuoksi on tärkeää tutkia vaihtoehtoja perinteisten järjestelmien lisäksi. Tämän tutkielman tärkeimmät tulokset vahvistivat haasteet, joita yritykset kohtaavat kestävyysraportointiprosesseissaan, ja korostivat tehokkaiden tietoteknisten ratkaisujen tarvetta, jotta voidaan tehokkaammin hallita raportointiin vaadittua määrää informaatiota. Vaikka lohkoketjupohjaisilla ratkaisuilla on varmasti potentiaalia virtaviivaistaa raportointiprosessia, ei havaittu mitään viitteitä siitä, että niillä olisi etuja verrattuna perinteisempiin jaettuihin tietokantoihin perustuviin järjestelmiin. Pikemminkin tässä tutkimuksessa nousi esiin viitteitä siitä, että lohkoketjuteknologialla ei ole tällä hetkellä perinteisiin tiedonhallintaratkaisuihin verrattuna merkittäviä etuja yritysjärjestelminä, etenkään kestävyysraportoinnin piirissä
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