Understanding and designing for trust in Bitcoin Blockchain

Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency that has created a new revolution in peer-to-peer technology. Built upon decentralised technology known as Blockchain, it supports transparent, fast, cost-effective and irreversible transactions, without the need for trusting the third-party financial institution. The privacy of Bitcoin users is protected, by the pseudoanonymous transaction. At present, Bitcoin holds the largest market share in cryptocurrency and the Blockchain technology had captured the interest of multi-corporations, such as Microsoft, Dell, and T-Mobile. However, Bitcoins have no legal tender in most and it is even worse with the illicit use by the irresponsible people and the cyber-attacks towards the application. Hence, these are the primary motivation of this Ph.D. work, to explore the trust between people and Bitcoin technology as well as identify the opportunities to design for the trust challenges. This thesis investigates the challenges and design works with 80 Bitcoin stakeholders such as users, miners, Blockchain experts and novices in six different but interrelated studies. The first and second studies report in-depth preliminary studies with 20 Bitcoin users and 20 miners to identify the trust challenges in people’s daily practices in using Bitcoin. Based on the findings, users’ risk related to dishonest partner in peer-to-peer Bitcoins transactions is the highlighted trust challenges to be addressed in this thesis. With a strong understanding of Bitcoin mining process, a physical Blockchain design kit, namely BlocKit was developed based on the embodied cognition theories and material centred design. This BlocKit was evaluated by 15 Bitcoin Blockchain’s experienced users and one of the important outcomes proposed the principles to design for trust application in peer-to-peer Bitcoins transactions. Later the algorithms of trust for Bitcoin application were developed based on the suggested principles and were validated by 10 Bitcoin Blockchain’s experienced users. Finally, based on the designed algorithms as well as a newly identified heuristic evaluation for trust, a mock-up prototype of Bitcoin wallet application namely, BitXFps was developed and the interface was evaluated for trust by 15 Bitcoin Blockchain’s experienced users

Cryptography in privacy-preserving applications.

Tsang Pak Kong.Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 95-107).Abstracts in English and Chinese.Abstract --- p.iiAcknowledgement --- p.ivChapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1Chapter 1.1 --- Privacy --- p.1Chapter 1.2 --- Cryptography --- p.5Chapter 1.2.1 --- History of Cryptography --- p.5Chapter 1.2.2 --- Cryptography Today --- p.6Chapter 1.2.3 --- Cryptography For Privacy --- p.7Chapter 1.3 --- Thesis Organization --- p.8Chapter 2 --- Background --- p.10Chapter 2.1 --- Notations --- p.10Chapter 2.2 --- Complexity Theory --- p.11Chapter 2.2.1 --- Order Notation --- p.11Chapter 2.2.2 --- Algorithms and Protocols --- p.11Chapter 2.2.3 --- Relations and Languages --- p.13Chapter 2.3 --- Algebra and Number Theory --- p.14Chapter 2.3.1 --- Groups --- p.14Chapter 2.3.2 --- Intractable Problems --- p.16Chapter 2.4 --- Cryptographic Primitives --- p.18Chapter 2.4.1 --- Public-Key Encryption --- p.18Chapter 2.4.2 --- Identification Protocols --- p.21Chapter 2.4.3 --- Digital Signatures --- p.22Chapter 2.4.4 --- Hash Functions --- p.24Chapter 2.4.5 --- Zero-Knowledge Proof of Knowledge --- p.26Chapter 2.4.6 --- Accumulators --- p.32Chapter 2.4.7 --- Public Key Infrastructure --- p.34Chapter 2.5 --- Zero Knowledge Proof of Knowledge Protocols in Groups of Unknown Order --- p.36Chapter 2.5.1 --- The Algebraic Setting --- p.36Chapter 2.5.2 --- Proving the Knowledge of Several Discrete Logarithms . --- p.37Chapter 2.5.3 --- Proving the Knowledge of a Representation --- p.38Chapter 2.5.4 --- Proving the Knowledge of d Out of n Equalities of Discrete Logarithms --- p.39Chapter 2.6 --- Conclusion --- p.42Chapter 3 --- Related Works --- p.43Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.43Chapter 3.2 --- Group-Oriented Signatures without Spontaneity and/or Anonymity --- p.44Chapter 3.3 --- SAG Signatures --- p.46Chapter 3.4 --- Conclusion --- p.49Chapter 4 --- Linkable Ring Signatures --- p.50Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.50Chapter 4.2 --- New Notions --- p.52Chapter 4.2.1 --- Accusatory Linking --- p.52Chapter 4.2.2 --- Non-slanderability --- p.53Chapter 4.2.3 --- Linkability in Threshold Ring Signatures --- p.54Chapter 4.2.4 --- Event-Oriented Linking --- p.55Chapter 4.3 --- Security Model --- p.56Chapter 4.3.1 --- Syntax --- p.56Chapter 4.3.2 --- Notions of Security --- p.58Chapter 4.4 --- Conclusion --- p.63Chapter 5 --- Short Linkable Ring Signatures --- p.64Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.64Chapter 5.2 --- The Construction --- p.65Chapter 5.3 --- Security Analysis --- p.68Chapter 5.3.1 --- Security Theorems --- p.68Chapter 5.3.2 --- Proofs --- p.68Chapter 5.4 --- Discussion --- p.70Chapter 5.5 --- Conclusion --- p.71Chapter 6 --- Separable Linkable Threshold Ring Signatures --- p.72Chapter 6.1 --- Introduction --- p.72Chapter 6.2 --- The Construction --- p.74Chapter 6.3 --- Security Analysis --- p.76Chapter 6.3.1 --- Security Theorems --- p.76Chapter 6.3.2 --- Proofs --- p.77Chapter 6.4 --- Discussion --- p.79Chapter 6.5 --- Conclusion --- p.80Chapter 7 --- Applications --- p.82Chapter 7.1 --- Offline Anonymous Electronic Cash --- p.83Chapter 7.1.1 --- Introduction --- p.83Chapter 7.1.2 --- Construction --- p.84Chapter 7.2 --- Electronic Voting --- p.85Chapter 7.2.1 --- Introduction --- p.85Chapter 7.2.2 --- Construction . --- p.87Chapter 7.2.3 --- Discussions --- p.88Chapter 7.3 --- Anonymous Attestation --- p.89Chapter 7.3.1 --- Introduction --- p.89Chapter 7.3.2 --- Construction --- p.90Chapter 7.4 --- Conclusion --- p.91Chapter 8 --- Conclusion --- p.92A Paper Derivation --- p.94Bibliography --- p.9

Tunneling Trust Into the Blockchain: A Merkle Based Proof System for Structured Documents

The idea of Smart contracts foresees the possibility of automating contractual clauses using hardware and software tools and devices. One of the main perspectives of their implementation is the automation of interactions such as bets, collaterals, prediction markets, insurances. As blockchain platforms, such as Ethereum, offer very strong guarantees of untampered, deterministic execution, that can be exploited as smart contracts substrate, the problem of how to provide reliable information from the "outside world" into the contracts becomes central. In this article, we propose a system based on a Merkle tree representation of structured documents (such as all XML), with which it is possible to generate compact proofs on the content of web documents. The proofs can then be efficiently checked on-chain by a smart contract, to trigger contract action. We provide an end-to-end proof of concept, applying it to real use case scenarios, which allows us to give an estimate of the costs

Secure Information Sharing with Distributed Ledgers

In 2009, blockchain technology was first introduced as the supporting database technology for digital currencies. Since then, more advanced derivations of the technology have been developed under the broader term Distributed Ledgers, with improved scalability and support for general-purpose application logic. As a distributed database, they are able to support interorganizational information sharing while assuring desirable information security attributes like non-repudiation, auditability and transparency. Based on these characteristics, researchers and practitioners alike have begun to identify a plethora of disruptive use cases for Distributed Ledgers in existing application domains. While these use cases are promising significant efficiency improvements and cost reductions, practical adoption has been slow in the past years. This dissertation focuses on improving three aspects contributing to slow adoption. First, it attempts to identify application areas and substantiated use cases where Distributed Ledgers can considerably advance the security of information sharing. Second, it considers the security aspects of the technology itself, identifying threats to practical applications and detection approaches for these threats. And third, it investigates success factors for successful interorganizational collaborations using Distributed Ledgers

Coin-Operated Capitalism

This Article presents the legal literature’s first detailed analysis of the inner workings of Initial Coin Offerings. We characterize the ICO as an example of financial innovation, placing it in kinship with venture capital contracting, asset securitization, and (obviously) the IPO. We also take the form seriously as an example of technological innovation, where promoters are beginning to effectuate their promises to investors through computer code, rather than traditional contract. To understand the dynamics of this shift, we first collect contracts, “white papers,” and other contract-like documents for the fifty top-grossing ICOs of 2017. We then analyze how such projects’ software code reflected (or failed to reflect) their contractual promises. Our inquiry reveals that many ICOs failed even to promise that they would protect investors against insider self-dealing. Fewer still manifested such contracts in code. Surprisingly, in a community known for espousing a technolibertarian belief in the power of “trustless trust” built with carefully designed code, a significant fraction of issuers retained centralized control through previously undisclosed code permitting modification of the entities’ governing structures. These findings offer valuable lessons to legal scholars, economists, and policymakers about the roles played by gatekeepers; about the value of regulation; and the possibilities for socially valuable private ordering in a relatively anonymous, decentralized environment

Full Text PDF of The JBBA, 11th Issue, May 2023

Full Text PDF of The JBBA, 11th Issue, May 202

Designing and Implementing a Blockchain-based Platform for the Exchange of Peerto-Peer Energy Trading and Modelling Vehicle-to-Grid(V2G) Residential Community

The expansion of renewable energy on the national grid has been a struggle throughout the past decade. Rooftop solar photovoltaics (PV) and electric vehicle to Grid (V2G) can function as either load or distributed energy sources. Consequently, presumers can join in a Transactive energy network featuring peer-to-peer (P2P) exchange of excess electricity to enhance the grid load balancing and harmonic filtering performance. The key challenge is keeping track of these transactions and compensating supposing parties. The distributed and unchangeable characteristics of blockchain technology could be utilised to accelerate the ongoing transition to more decentralised and digital energy systems and alleviate some of the challenges the energy sector is now facing. This report presents an experimental design and implementation of a Peer-to-peer blockchain network to exchange electricity energy among participants based on the Ethereum open-source application called Solar Chain App. This demonstration project simulates the P2P Network of the electricity distribution network. A project consists of a primary network and user nodes (user nodes have homeowners and EVs). Homeowners with solar and electric vehicles Participants, assets, and transactions required to establish the blockchain-based network for tracking Buyer and seller output exchanges are described, and the smart contract, use cases, and implementation. The main purpose is to design a p2p platform that maximize renewable energy Usage and minimize the daily cost of household electricity consumption

OTS 2019 Advanced Information Technology and Services

Prispevki, zbrani v zborniku že 24. strokovne konference Sodobne informacijske tehnologije in storitve, naslavljajo izjemno aktualne izzive, s katerimi se informatiki, programski inženirji, računalničarji, podatkovni znanstveniki, arhitekti, razvijalci ter upravljalci informacijskih rešitev in storitev srečujemo pri svojem vsakdanjem delu. Avtorji predstavljajo inovativne rešitve in skozi konkretne projekte pridobljene izkušnje s/z: vpeljavo tehnologij strojnega učenja in obogatene inteligence, uporabo tehnologij in platform veriženja blokov, razvojem šibko sklopljenih mikrostoritev, popolno virtualizacijo in izkoriščanjem porazdeljenih infrastruktur, zagotavljanjem kibernetske varnosti, zaupnosti in zasebnosti, skaliranjem agilnih metod v porazdeljenih projektnih skupinah, vpeljavo agilnih pristopov v sklopu avtomatiziranih in neprekinjenih procesov razvoja, testiranja, integracije in dostave, posodobitvijo in nadgradnjo obstoječih informacijskih sistemov, razvojem uporabniško prijaznih spletnih in mobilnih rešitev in uvajanjem sodobnih programskih jezikov in razvojnih okolij.The papers in the proceedings of the 24th Professional Conference on Advanced Information Technology and Services address the extremely topical challenges that we (IS/IT experts, Software Engineers, Computer Scientists, Data Scientists, software and solution architects, developers, IT managers, etc.) encounter in our daily work. The authors present the innovative solutions and rich experience gained by conducting real-life projects: Applying Augmented Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies, Using Blockchain technologies and platforms, Developing loosely coupled micro-services, Providing full virtualization and exploitation of distributed infrastructures, Ensuring cybersecurity, confidentiality and privacy, Applying large-scale agile methods in distributed teams, Introducing agile approaches that enable the rapid and efficient software development via automated processes, and continuous testing, integration, delivery & deployment Updating and upgrading existing Information Systems, Incorporating advanced programming languages and development environments, Developing user-friendly web and mobile solutions & services