Blockchains and Smart Contracts for the Internet of Things
TL;DR: The conclusion is that the blockchain-IoT combination is powerful and can cause significant transformations across several industries, paving the way for new business models and novel, distributed applications.
Abstract: Motivated by the recent explosion of interest around blockchains, we examine whether they make a good fit for the Internet of Things (IoT) sector. Blockchains allow us to have a distributed peer-to-peer network where non-trusting members can interact with each other without a trusted intermediary, in a verifiable manner. We review how this mechanism works and also look into smart contracts—scripts that reside on the blockchain that allow for the automation of multi-step processes. We then move into the IoT domain, and describe how a blockchain-IoT combination: 1) facilitates the sharing of services and resources leading to the creation of a marketplace of services between devices and 2) allows us to automate in a cryptographically verifiable manner several existing, time-consuming workflows. We also point out certain issues that should be considered before the deployment of a blockchain network in an IoT setting: from transactional privacy to the expected value of the digitized assets traded on the network. Wherever applicable, we identify solutions and workarounds. Our conclusion is that the blockchain-IoT combination is powerful and can cause significant transformations across several industries, paving the way for new business models and novel, distributed applications.
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01 Jan 2016
TL;DR: This presentation introduced some Type of Query Query in symbolic form Satisfiability φ sat, unsat, timeout Certificates φ model, proof, unsats core Interpolation.
Abstract: Fuzzing is a widely used software testing technique for bug and vulnerability detection, and the testing performance is greatly affected by the quality of initial seeds and the effectiveness of mutation strategy. In this presentation, we introduced some Type of Query Query in symbolic form Satisfiability φ sat, unsat, timeout Certificates φ model, proof, unsat core Interpolation φ[x, y] → I[x] → ψ[x, z] Optimization max x | φ Consequences φ → φ1 ∧ . . . ∧ φn Sat subsets ψ1 ∧ ψ2, ψ1 ∧ ψ3 Unsat cores ¬(ψ1 ∧ ψ2), ¬(ψ1 ∧ ψ3) Model counting |{x | φ}| All models Ideal(φ), M1 |= φ, M2 |= φ, . . . Model probability . . . x Preface
20 citations
TL;DR: This work proposes using blockchain in the monitoring framework to enforce security policies even when devices are compromised and offers significantly lower latency and overhead compared to permissionless blockchain frameworks and allows existing IoT devices to join the framework without modification.
Abstract: Unlike conventional servers housed in a centralized and secured indoor environment (e.g., data centers), Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices such as sensor/actuator are geographically distributed and may be closely located to the physical systems where IoT devices are utilized. However, the resource-constrained nature of IoT devices limits their capacity to deploy sophisticated security solutions. The proposed approach assumes that a device can be compromised and hence, the need to be able to automatically isolate the compromised device(s). In order to enforce security policies even when devices are compromised, we propose using blockchain in the monitoring framework. Unlike existing centralized or distributed security solutions (which do not consider the possibility that the solutions themselves can be compromised), the proposed blockchain-based framework can enforce the security policies as long as a majority of the devices are not compromised. By employing the permissioned blockchain (Hyperledger Fabric) and add-on hardware modules, the proposed framework offers significantly lower latency and overhead compared to permissionless blockchain frameworks (e.g., Ethereum) and allows existing IoT devices to join the framework without modification.
20 citations
Additional excerpts
...These techniques ensure a certain security property of the IoT system, such as firmware update [21], [24], configuration management [22]–[25], traceable data management [39]–[41], trust...
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TL;DR: In this paper, the effects of local market formation on the performance and performance of distribution companies are analyzed, and the technical requirements in the three areas of operation, network control, and ICT in the new workspace are thoroughly examined.
Abstract: Today, the pace of development of decentralized transactive management systems has increased significantly due to growing renewable energy source technologies and communication infrastructure at the distribution system level. Such bilateral energy transactions have changed the structure of electricity markets and led to the emergence of a local energy market in electricity distribution. While examining this change of attitude, this paper analyzes the effects of local market formation on the performance and performance of distribution companies. Accordingly, the technical requirements in the three areas of operation, network control, and ICT in the new workspace are thoroughly examined. The hardware requirements will be presented in two parts for the end-user and the distribution systems. Then, the proposed local distribution market framework will be introduced, and finally, the conclusion will be presented.
20 citations
30 Oct 2018
TL;DR: The architectural framework as well as the use of blockchain technology in the IEEE 1931.1 standard are discussed in terms of advantages brought, criticalities, and future improvements that are necessary for fruitful deployment within ROOF.
Abstract: While initially conceived as a system for cryptocurrency transactions' validation among untrusted parties, blockchain technology has gained momentum as a tool that can theoretically be applied to many domains beyond the intended one. Among these domains, one of the biggest and most promising is the Internet of Things. The IEEE 1931.1 WG is currently working on the definition of an Internet standard for technical and functional interoperability of federated IoT systems for Real-Time Onsite Operations Facilitation (ROOF) that operate and function in a secure, semi-autonomous, and decentralized manner. Blockchain technology can play a key role in accomplishing this goal. In this article, after discussing the use of blockchain technology in the IoT, the architectural framework as well as the use of blockchain technology in the IEEE 1931.1 standard are discussed in terms of advantages brought, criticalities, and future improvements that are necessary for fruitful deployment within ROOF.
20 citations
Cites background from "Blockchains and Smart Contracts for..."
...The blockchain technology can facilitate the implementation of decentralized IoT platforms and services guaranteeing secured data exchange as well as tamper-proof record keeping by means of distributed ledgers and message exchanges via so-called smart contracts [4]....
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TL;DR: In this paper, a comprehensive review of current peer-reviewed literature is given to identify emerging trends in this research area, and some open issues and research gaps for future investigations are discussed.
Abstract: Blockchain, a distributed ledger technology (DLT), refers to a list of records with consecutive time stamps. This decentralization technology has become a powerful model to establish trust among trustless entities, in a verifiable manner. Motivated by the recent advancement of multi-access edge computing (MEC) and artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain-enabled edge intelligence has become an emerging technology for the Internet of Things (IoT). We review how blockchain-enabled edge intelligence works in the IoT domain, identify the emerging trends, and suggest open issues for further research. To be specific: (1) we first offer some basic knowledge of DLT, MEC, and AI; (2) a comprehensive review of current peer-reviewed literature is given to identify emerging trends in this research area; and (3) we discuss some open issues and research gaps for future investigations. We expect that blockchain-enabled edge intelligence will become an important enabler of future IoT, providing trust and intelligence to satisfy the sophisticated needs of industries and society.
20 citations
References
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TL;DR: The Albanian Generals Problem as mentioned in this paper is a generalization of Dijkstra's dining philosophers problem, where two generals have to come to a common agreement on whether to attack or retreat, but can communicate only by sending messengers who might never arrive.
Abstract: I have long felt that, because it was posed as a cute problem about philosophers seated around a table, Dijkstra’s dining philosopher’s problem received much more attention than it deserves. (For example, it has probably received more attention in the theory community than the readers/writers problem, which illustrates the same principles and has much more practical importance.) I believed that the problem introduced in [41] was very important and deserved the attention of computer scientists. The popularity of the dining philosophers problem taught me that the best way to attract attention to a problem is to present it in terms of a story. There is a problem in distributed computing that is sometimes called the Chinese Generals Problem, in which two generals have to come to a common agreement on whether to attack or retreat, but can communicate only by sending messengers who might never arrive. I stole the idea of the generals and posed the problem in terms of a group of generals, some of whom may be traitors, who have to reach a common decision. I wanted to assign the generals a nationality that would not offend any readers. At the time, Albania was a completely closed society, and I felt it unlikely that there would be any Albanians around to object, so the original title of this paper was The Albanian Generals Problem. Jack Goldberg was smart enough to realize that there were Albanians in the world outside Albania, and Albania might not always be a black hole, so he suggested that I find another name. The obviously more appropriate Byzantine generals then occurred to me. The main reason for writing this paper was to assign the new name to the problem. But a new paper needed new results as well. I came up with a simpler way to describe the general 3n+1-processor algorithm. (Shostak’s 4-processor algorithm was subtle but easy to understand; Pease’s generalization was a remarkable tour de force.) We also added a generalization to networks that were not completely connected. (I don’t remember whose work that was.) I also added some discussion of practical implementation details.
5,208 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a group of generals of the Byzantine army camped with their troops around an enemy city are shown to agree upon a common battle plan using only oral messages, if and only if more than two-thirds of the generals are loyal; so a single traitor can confound two loyal generals.
Abstract: Reliable computer systems must handle malfunctioning components that give conflicting information to different parts of the system. This situation can be expressed abstractly in terms of a group of generals of the Byzantine army camped with their troops around an enemy city. Communicating only by messenger, the generals must agree upon a common battle plan. However, one or more of them may be traitors who will try to confuse the others. The problem is to find an algorithm to ensure that the loyal generals will reach agreement. It is shown that, using only oral messages, this problem is solvable if and only if more than two-thirds of the generals are loyal; so a single traitor can confound two loyal generals. With unforgeable written messages, the problem is solvable for any number of generals and possible traitors. Applications of the solutions to reliable computer systems are then discussed.
4,901 citations
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TL;DR: It is shown that, without a logically centralized authority, Sybil attacks are always possible except under extreme and unrealistic assumptions of resource parity and coordination among entities.
Abstract: Large-scale peer-to-peer systems face security threats from faulty or hostile remote computing elements. To resist these threats, many such systems employ redundancy. However, if a single faulty entity can present multiple identities, it can control a substantial fraction of the system, thereby undermining this redundancy. One approach to preventing these "Sybil attacks" is to have a trusted agency certify identities. This paper shows that, without a logically centralized authority, Sybil attacks are always possible except under extreme and unrealistic assumptions of resource parity and coordination among entities.
4,816 citations
"Blockchains and Smart Contracts for..." refers background in this paper
...Because of the Sybil attack [15], consensus in public networks is costly...
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...anyone can join though, this would be catastrophic because of the Sybil attack [15]: a single entity could join with multiple identities, get multiple votes, and thus influence the network to favor this entity’s interests....
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22 Feb 1999
TL;DR: A new replication algorithm that is able to tolerate Byzantine faults that works in asynchronous environments like the Internet and incorporates several important optimizations that improve the response time of previous algorithms by more than an order of magnitude.
Abstract: This paper describes a new replication algorithm that is able to tolerate Byzantine faults. We believe that Byzantinefault-tolerant algorithms will be increasingly important in the future because malicious attacks and software errors are increasingly common and can cause faulty nodes to exhibit arbitrary behavior. Whereas previous algorithms assumed a synchronous system or were too slow to be used in practice, the algorithm described in this paper is practical: it works in asynchronous environments like the Internet and incorporates several important optimizations that improve the response time of previous algorithms by more than an order of magnitude. We implemented a Byzantine-fault-tolerant NFS service using our algorithm and measured its performance. The results show that our service is only 3% slower than a standard unreplicated NFS.
3,562 citations
"Blockchains and Smart Contracts for..." refers background or methods in this paper
...5If more than 3f + 1 nodes are used, then the quorum thresholds listed in [26] may lead to forks....
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...Tendermint vs PBFT—Tendermint....
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...Sieve [38], a mechanism used in the HyperLedger Fabric project, augments the PBFT algorithm [26] by adding speculative execution and verification phases, inspired by the execute-verify architecture presented in [39]....
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...Tendermint [32] provides BFT tolerance and is similar to the PBFT algorithm; however it provides a tighter guarantee with regards to the results returned to the client when more than one third of the nodes are faulty, and allows for a dynamically changing set of set of validators, and leaders that can be rotated in a round-robin manner, among other optimizations [33]....
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...PBFT works on the assumption that less than one third of the nodes are faulty (f ), which is why say that it requires at least5 3f + 1 nodes....
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Proceedings Article•
19 Jun 2014TL;DR: Raft is a consensus algorithm for managing a replicated log that separates the key elements of consensus, such as leader election, log replication, and safety, and it enforces a stronger degree of coherency to reduce the number of states that must be considered.
Abstract: Raft is a consensus algorithm for managing a replicated log. It produces a result equivalent to (multi-)Paxos, and it is as efficient as Paxos, but its structure is different from Paxos; this makes Raft more understandable than Paxos and also provides a better foundation for building practical systems. In order to enhance understandability, Raft separates the key elements of consensus, such as leader election, log replication, and safety, and it enforces a stronger degree of coherency to reduce the number of states that must be considered. Results from a user study demonstrate that Raft is easier for students to learn than Paxos. Raft also includes a new mechanism for changing the cluster membership, which uses overlapping majorities to guarantee safety.
1,811 citations
"Blockchains and Smart Contracts for..." refers methods in this paper
...popular Raft algorithm [30], is used as a consensus mechanism in Juno [31]....
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