A Comprehensive Study of Blockchain Services: Future of Cryptography
01 Jan 2020-International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications (The Science and Information (SAI) Organization Limited)-Vol. 11, Iss: 10
TL;DR: The various cryptographic attacks in Blockchain and the various security services offered in Blockchain are reviewed to discuss how both technologies can be integrated to provide the best of the security to the data.
Abstract: Cryptography is the process of protecting information from intruders and letting only the intended users’ access and understand it. It is a technique originated in 2000 BC where simple methods were used in earlier times to keep the information in a way that is not understandable by everyone. Only the intended receiver knows how to decode the information. Later, as technology advances, many sophisticated techniques were used to protect the message so that no intrusion can invade the information. Many mathematically complex algorithms like AES, RSA are used to encrypt and decrypt the data. Due to the advancements in the computer science field, recently, cryptography is used in the development of cryptographic currencies of cryptocurrencies. Blockchain technology, a distributed ledger technology identified to be the foundation of Bitcoin cryptocurrency, implements a high-level cryptographic technique like public-key cryptography, Hash Functions, Merkle Trees, Digital signatures like Elliptic curve digital signatures, etc. These advanced cryptographic techniques are used to provide security to blockchain data and for the secure transmission of information, thereby making Blockchain more popular and demandable. Blockchain applies cryptography in various phases, and some of the techniques used in Blockchain are advanced in cryptographic sciences. This paper intends to provide a brief introduction to cryptography and Blockchain Technology and discusses how both technologies can be integrated to provide the best of the security to the data. This paper reviews the various cryptographic attacks in Blockchain and the various security services offered in Blockchain. The challenges of blockchain security are also analyzed and presented briefly in this paper.
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TL;DR: In this paper , a comprehensive survey focusing on the safety and security of blockchain consensus protocols is provided, where the authors discuss in detail the classification of consensus protocols, the potential safety issues and security problems, safety assurance approaches, and validation methods.
6 citations
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors provide both theoretical and empirical insights into the security landscape, in particular focusing on both technical solutions and human-related facets, and provide a comprehensive review for the major achievements and developments of the recent progress on the security of cryptocurrencies.
Abstract: [Context] The goal of security is to protect digital assets, devices, and services from being disrupted, exploited or stolen by unauthorized users. It is also about having reliable information available at the right time. [Motivation] Since the inception in 2009 of the first cryptocurrency, few studies have been undertaken to analyze and review the state-of-the-art research and current developments with respect to the security of cryptocurrencies. [Purpose] We aim to provide both theoretical and empirical insights into the security landscape, in particular focusing on both technical solutions and human-related facets. [Methodology] We used an integrative review which could help in building science and scholarly research, the basis for conceptual and empirical models. [Results] Successful defense against cyberattacks depends on technical measures on the one hand, as well as on self-education and training with the aim to develop competence, knowledge, skills and social abilities, on the other. [Contribution] Our findings provide a comprehensive review for the major achievements and developments of the recent progress on the security of cryptocurrencies. [Future research] Since there is increasing interest in adoption of the current solutions within the central bank digital currencies, the future research should explore the development and inception of effective measures against social engineering attacks, which still remain the main concern.
1 citations
28 Jun 2021
TL;DR: In this article, the authors have described the different characteristics, issues, challenges, and consensus mechanisms of blockchain and identified a number of security attacks and elaborated them with detailed discussions, including 51% attack, distributed denial of service attack (DDoS), selfish mining attack, eclipse attack, double spending attack, sybil attack and phishing attack.
Abstract: Now a day’s blockchain technology has become popular because of its decentralised, peer to peer, immutable and distributed nature. It allows us to perform transactions, and store these transactions in an immutable way. It’s a kind of database in which the total data is stored in form of blocks. However due to its decentralised nature there are many challenges like scalability and security attacks. So various researchers have started their research activities in this direction. In this paper we have described the different characteristics, issues, challenges, and consensus mechanisms of blockchain. Furthermore, we have identified a number of security attacks and elaborated them with detailed discussions. There are mainly seven types of attacks identified, (i) 51% attack, (ii) distributed denial of service attack (DDoS), (iii) selfish mining attack, (iv) eclipse attack, (v) double spending attack, (vi) sybil attack and (vii) phishing attack.
References
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TL;DR: This paper suggests ways to solve currently open problems in cryptography, and discusses how the theories of communication and computation are beginning to provide the tools to solve cryptographic problems of long standing.
Abstract: Two kinds of contemporary developments in cryptography are examined. Widening applications of teleprocessing have given rise to a need for new types of cryptographic systems, which minimize the need for secure key distribution channels and supply the equivalent of a written signature. This paper suggests ways to solve these currently open problems. It also discusses how the theories of communication and computation are beginning to provide the tools to solve cryptographic problems of long standing.
14,980 citations
Additional excerpts
...In Blockchain, cryptography is adapted to ensure the consistency of the data, guard user privacy, and transaction information [1]....
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15 Jan 2020
4,407 citations
"A Comprehensive Study of Blockchain..." refers background in this paper
...Blockchain is a decentralized public ledger distributed over the network recording the transactions of the network [2]....
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IBM1
TL;DR: The notion of universally composable security was introduced in this paper for defining security of cryptographic protocols, which guarantees security even when a secure protocol is composed of an arbitrary set of protocols, or more generally when the protocol is used as a component of a system.
Abstract: We propose a novel paradigm for defining security of cryptographic protocols, called universally composable security. The salient property of universally composable definitions of security is that they guarantee security even when a secure protocol is composed of an arbitrary set of protocols, or more generally when the protocol is used as a component of an arbitrary system. This is an essential property for maintaining security of cryptographic protocols in complex and unpredictable environments such as the Internet. In particular, universally composable definitions guarantee security even when an unbounded number of protocol instances are executed concurrently in an adversarially controlled manner, they guarantee non-malleability with respect to arbitrary protocols, and more. We show how to formulate universally composable definitions of security for practically any cryptographic task. Furthermore, we demonstrate that practically any such definition can be realized using known techniques, as long as only a minority of the participants are corrupted. We then proceed to formulate universally composable definitions of a wide array of cryptographic tasks, including authenticated and secure communication, key-exchange, public-key encryption, signature, commitment, oblivious transfer, zero knowledge and more. We also make initial steps towards studying the realizability of the proposed definitions in various settings.
3,439 citations
25 Jun 2017
TL;DR: An overview of blockchain architechture is provided and some typical consensus algorithms used in different blockchains are compared and possible future trends for blockchain are laid out.
Abstract: Blockchain, the foundation of Bitcoin, has received extensive attentions recently. Blockchain serves as an immutable ledger which allows transactions take place in a decentralized manner. Blockchain-based applications are springing up, covering numerous fields including financial services, reputation system and Internet of Things (IoT), and so on. However, there are still many challenges of blockchain technology such as scalability and security problems waiting to be overcome. This paper presents a comprehensive overview on blockchain technology. We provide an overview of blockchain architechture firstly and compare some typical consensus algorithms used in different blockchains. Furthermore, technical challenges and recent advances are briefly listed. We also lay out possible future trends for blockchain.
2,642 citations
"A Comprehensive Study of Blockchain..." refers methods in this paper
...Some of the other popular hashing algorithms are SCrypt, a memory hard hash function used in Litecoin, Fairbrix and Tenebrix [13], X11, which is used in Darkcoin is a combination of 11 hash functions taken from SHA-3[14], Equihash, another hard memory function proposed by [15] and Ethash an ASICresistant hash function widely adapted in Ethereum based cryptocurrencies [16]....
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...Ethereum uses Keccak256, whereas Litecoin and Dogecoin use a lighter and faster cryptographic algorithm Scrypt....
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...For instance, SHA-256 and RIPEMD160 are used in Bitcoin, whereas Keccak 256 is used in Ethereum [20]....
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...Ethereum is a platform used to develop decentralized applications (DApps) and Smart contracts....
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...However, this issue has been addressed in Ethereum and Hyperledger platforms but still needs many improvements to handle this issue....
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TL;DR: The ANSI X9.62 ECDSA is described and related security, implementation, and interoperability issues are discussed, and the strength-per-key-bit is substantially greater in an algorithm that uses elliptic curves.
Abstract: The Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) is the elliptic curve analogue of the Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA). It was accepted in 1999 as an ANSI standard and in 2000 as IEEE and NIST standards. It was also accepted in 1998 as an ISO standard and is under consideration for inclusion in some other ISO standards. Unlike the ordinary discrete logarithm problem and the integer factorization problem, no subexponential-time algorithm is known for the elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem. For this reason, the strength-per-key-bit is substantially greater in an algorithm that uses elliptic curves. This paper describes the ANSI X9.62 ECDSA, and discusses related security, implementation, and interoperability issues.
2,092 citations