IoT Data Storage on a Blockchain Using Smart Contracts and IPFS

On the Internet, web applications are served from a centralized location i.e., server, for higher maintainability. However, in the centralized architecture, if there is an occurrence of server failure or crash, the web applications cannot be serve to the end-users until the server goes live again. In addition, in the existing centralized architecture for web hosting services, integrity of the hosted websites entirely relies on the third-party applications which checks for any possible threats in the system. In order to provide data integrity within the system and to overcome the above-mentioned single point of failure, we proposed the decentralized solution for hosting web applications, which provides more data availability to the end-users and maintains the integrity of the data. The proposed model makes use of the Interplanetary File System (IPFS) for storing and retrieving web applications, which provides high availability and reliability. In addition, the proposed model uses the Blockchain Technology for authenticity and confidentiality. The smart contracts are deploy on the Ethereum Block chain, which aids the service provider to manage the hosting service system. The proposed model also comparatively decreases the time taken to transfer the file over the IPFS using optimal path-finding algorithm. The proposed algorithm has a lesser time complexity when compared to the Bitswap protocol used in IPFS. The use of blockchain with IPFS cumulatively provides better authenticity via Ethereum Smart Contracts, which reduces risk and failure.

Nowadays, cloud-based storage systems play a vital role in IoT data storage, processing, and sharing. Despite its contribution, the current cloud-based architecture may cause severe data leakage or jeopardize user privacy. Meanwhile, the cloud-based architecture heavily relies on a trusted third-party auditor (TPA) and runs in a centralized control manner. However, the TPA may not be a completely trustworthy entity, and a single point of failure might cause the centralized system to collapse. Fortunately, with the advent of blockchain technology, the decentralized storage model has gained popularity. A decentralized storage system successfully eradicates the rule of TPA, solves the problem of a single point of failure, and has many advantages over a centralized control architecture, such as low storage prices and high throughput. This study offers a blockchain-based decentralized distributed storage and sharing scheme that provides end-to-end encryption and fine-grained access control. In our proposed IoTChain model, fine-grained permission is based on attribute-based access control (A-BAC) policy by employing the Ethereum blockchain as an auditable access control layer. Smart contracts are tailored for the IoTChain model, which combines the Ethereum blockchain and the interplanetary file system (IPFS). We used an advanced encryption standard (AES) for encryption and the elliptic curve Diffie-Hellman key exchange protocol for secret key sharing between data owners and users. Also, the proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism is replaced with a proof-of-authority (PoA) to minimize system transaction cost and boost system throughput. Additionally, our solution has been tested on the Ethereum official test network Rinkeby, and the results demonstrate that our approach is realistic and economical on the IoT data.

BackgroundWearable devices have limited ability to store and process such data. Currently, individual users or data aggregators are unable to monetize or contribute such data to wider analytics use cases. When combined with clinical health data, such data can improve the predictive power of data-driven analytics and can proffer many benefits to improve the quality of care. We propose and provide a marketplace mechanism to make these data available while benefiting data providers.ObjectiveWe aimed to propose the concept of a decentralized marketplace for patient-generated health data that can improve provenance, data accuracy, security, and privacy. Using a proof-of-concept prototype with an interplanetary file system (IPFS) and Ethereum smart contracts, we aimed to demonstrate decentralized marketplace functionality with the blockchain. We also aimed to illustrate and demonstrate the benefits of such a marketplace.MethodsWe used a design science research methodology to define and prototype our decentralized marketplace and used the Ethereum blockchain, solidity smart-contract programming language, the web3.js library, and node.js with the MetaMask application to prototype our system.ResultsWe designed and implemented a prototype of a decentralized health care marketplace catering to health data. We used an IPFS to store data, provide an encryption scheme for the data, and provide smart contracts to communicate with users on the Ethereum blockchain. We met the design goals we set out to accomplish in this study.ConclusionsA decentralized marketplace for trading patient-generated health data can be created using smart-contract technology and IPFS-based data storage. Such a marketplace can improve quality, availability, and provenance and satisfy data privacy, access, auditability, and security needs for such data when compared with centralized systems.

SummaryThe block chain is the emerging domain that offers the features like shared, immutable, and decentralized dataset that saves the asset's history. Security and storage are the most challenging aspect. The classical techniques' issues and challenges are an encouragement for developing a fresh block chain‐assisted IPFS model with access control policies. Hence, this research paper introduces an effective access control and authentication based on an interplanetary file system (IPFS)‐based block chain and access control system for attaining secured transactions. The developed method comprises five entities, that is smart contract, data owner, data requester, block chain and IPFS along with eight phases, to be exact setup, user registration, initialization, storage and data encryption, authentication, testing, access control, and decryption phase, to provide better access control and storage capacity. The proposed IPFS‐based block chain and access control system offered effective storage and secure transactions in the block chain network. The highest detection rate (0.870), lowest communication overhead (0.766 MB), and highest privacy rate (0.719) are all achieved by the proposed IPFS‐based block chain and access control system.

The Internet of Things (IOT) is integrated with supply chain management process to track the product. To track the product smart tags is used. The smart tags like QR code and NFC is used. But with the technology enhancement the block chain is introduced into the supply chain management process. The block chain is the great revolution that data in the centralized form is transformed in to a decentralized manner. The distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) is one of the method used in ethereum block chain. The main advantage of using DLT is, it offers decentralized, privacy-preserving and verifiable process in the smart tags. In existing system only single server was used to maintain all the process like supplier, manufacturer and distributor. In this application we are using different server which was more secure than existing system. The proposed solution in this paper is it checks the product evidence during the entire lifecycle of the product by using the smart contract. The data can be immutable by using smart contract with ethereum block chain. The duplication is manipulated by the block chainserver.

The object of this paper is blockchain technology in the tracking system of grain supply chains. The current study considers the task of determining the impact of blockchain technology introduction on the tracking system of grain supply chains. The key problems in the system of grain supply chains have been identified and the tasks to solve them have been proposed. The characteristics of key technologies in the implementation of blockchain in the system of grain supply chains have been defined, such as smart contracts, the Internet of Things (IoT), interplanetary file system (IPFS), contactless tags (RFID), Ethereum platform (identified as the best for supply chain tracking). The influence of factors on the introduction of blockchain technologies into the grain supply chain tracking system was determined using a SWOT analysis. Strengths include transparency, increased trust, automation of processes and protection against falsification. Weaknesses include high implementation costs, difficulty scaling, and the need for staff training. Opportunities that open up through the use of blockchain include attracting new partners, increasing competitiveness, and developing new markets. Threats include legal difficulties, technical failures, high energy costs, and resistance from market participants. An assessment of the investment attractiveness of introducing blockchain technology into the grain supply chain tracking system was carried out by calculating such indicators as economic effect; net present value (NPV) of implementing blockchain technologies; payback period of investments. According to the results of analysis, the following data were obtained: NPV (150439 a.u.)>0, the payback period of investments is 2.8 years, which is acceptable for large agricultural holdings. Prospects for development have been determined, in particular, the unification of agricultural holdings for the joint implementation of blockchain technologies in the tracking system of grain supply chains, which would be a strategically beneficial solution for all participants in the supply chain

The article examines methods and information technologies aimed at ensuring the secure integration of the Ethereum blockchain with Internet of Things (IoT) systems. The relevance of the study is driven by the rapid development of IoT, which is accompanied by increasing cybersecurity threats, including unauthorized data access, man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks, device identifier spoofing, and the low transparency of centralized systems. The use of Ethereum blockchain technology, particularly smart contracts, opens new opportunities for creating decentralized security management models for IoT devices, enhancing trust levels, automating processes, and minimizing third-party interference risks. The “Problem statement” section outlines the key challenges in securing IoT networks, including the vulnerabilities of centralized solutions, limited computational resources of devices, and the need to develop autonomous access control systems. The “Analysis of Recent Research and Publications” section summarizes modern approaches to integrating Ethereum blockchain into the IoT field, including tokenized identification mechanisms, access control, and transaction processing using smart contracts. It is noted that leading researchers suggest Layer-2 solutions (state channels, zk-rollups, Plasma) aimed at reducing the load on the main blockchain and improving scalability. The aim of the article is to systematize modern methods of integrating the Ethereum blockchain with IoT and develop recommendations for their implementation, considering the limited resources of devices. The “Research results” section presents a secure IoT system architecture concept based on decentralized account management, local storage of cryptographic keys on devices, the use of optimized transaction signing algorithms, and the introduction of a hybrid data storage model based on IPFS. The proposed model minimizes the risk of unauthorized access, increases transparency in the interaction between IoT devices, and reduces computational resource costs. The “Conclusions and prospects for further research” section emphasizes that the implementation of the Ethereum blockchain in IoT promotes the development of secure decentralized platforms. However, it requires addressing issues such as energy consumption, transaction costs, and optimizing client applications for low-performance devices. Future research should focus on developing effective scalability tools, adapting smart contracts to IoT specifics, and improving integration with cloud computing platforms for storing large data sets.

Several academicians have been actively contributing to establishing a practical solution to storing and distributing medical images and test reports in the research domain of health care in recent years. Current procedures mainly rely on cloud-assisted centralized data centers, which raise maintenance expenditure, necessitate a large amount of storage space, and raise privacy concerns when exchanging data across a network. As a result, it is critically essential to provide a framework that allows for the efficient exchange and storage of large amounts of medical data in a secure setting. In this research, we describe a unique proof-of-concept architecture for a distributed patient-centric test report and image management (PCRIM) system that aims to facilitate patient privacy and control without the need for a centralized infrastructure. We used an Ethereum blockchain and a distributed file system technology called the Inter-Planetary File System in this system (IPFS). Then, to secure a distributed and trustworthy access control policy, we designed an Ethereum smart contract termed the patient-centric access control protocol. The IPFS allows for the decentralized storage of medical metadata, such as images, with worldwide accessibility. We demonstrate how the PCRIM system design enables hospitals, patients, and image requestors to obtain patient-centric data in a distributed and secure manner. Finally, we tested the proposed framework in the Windows environment by deploying a smart contract prototype on an Ethereum TESTNET blockchain. The findings of the study indicate that the proposed strategy is both efficient and practicable.

Emerging growth in technology has rapidly changed our homes and cities. Present homes and cities will be upgraded to smart homes and smart cities in the near future. Various solutions used to build the smart-city network demand a scalable and decentralized solution. This study proposes a blockchain-empowered decentralized and scalable solution for a sustainable smart-city network. The Internet of Things (IoT), fog nodes, permissioned trust chain, smart contract, blockchain, and InterPlanetary file system (IPFS) are deployed to construct a scalable and decentralized solution for a sustainable smart city. Three main public sector departments, i.e., electricity, water supply, and health care, are studied over the proposed solution. The proposed solution is implemented over constrained application protocol (CoAP) and Ethereum blockchain. The performance of the proposed model is evaluated for 1500 devices and over 10,000 records. A total 77.44% improvement is registered during performance evaluation over a scalable environment. The performance evaluation of each case study and collaborative performance evaluation concludes the improvised performance of the proposed solution for scalable and distributed applications. Better performance, scalability, and the distributed nature of the presented model make it suitable for the sustainable smart-city network.

The advent of agro‐industrialization has helped the agricultural food supply chain (AFSC) in introducing ease and innovation to other facets. In addition, Blockchain (BC) technology is revolutionizing each distributed data‐related application by adding authentication and trust among the system's stakeholders. Inspired by the above‐mentioned argument, this article proposes a system, KRanTi, to promote the supply chain of agricultural food by BC embedding across the 5G network. The 5G network upgrades the data connectivity by enhancing network infrastructure efficiency. In KRanTi, we present an efficient credit system that enables associated farmers to purchase the requisite agricultural raw product of higher quality without the pressure of instant payment. A score‐based farm‐food quality assurance system is then proposed, which guarantees optimal quality grading. Trust, transparency, and traceability are preserved through the implementation of Smart Contracts (SC) distributed across public Ethereum BC. The cost‐effective off‐line data storage service in AFSC is offered through the use of the Inter‐Planetary File System (IPFS), a shared storage system to hold all data from stakeholders. Results show that the efficiency of the proposed scheme KRanTi is improved compared with traditional schemes with metrics such as less than 1 millisecond latency with 99.99% reliability compared with LTE with 5G, scalability, packet failure ratio, BC performance, cost‐quality ratio, and data storage contrast.

Online teaching has become mandatory across the globe during the COVID-19 pandemic situations. Hence, there is a need to uplift the online teaching technology for data privacy preservation and transparency in the system. Various online teaching schemes have been proposed by various authors, but they lack in handling decentralised governance, transparency, trust and communication issues. Blockchain (BC) Technology has emerged to provide decentralised solution in solving the real-time problems. Motivated by these facts, in this paper, we propose a BC-based decentralised online teaching scheme known as BDoTs. The security and data privacy issues in BDoTs are resolved by developing smart contracts (SCs) over BC. Moreover, the data storage cost issues are handled by the Inter Planetary File System (IPFS) protocol for Off-Chain data storage. Moreover, we present a real-time BC simulation and deployment of SC in Truffle suite. Results show that the proposed scheme performs better in comparison to the state-of-the-art schemes in terms of scalability, data storage cost, and packet loss.

The Ethereum blockchain enables executing and recording smart contracts. The smart contracts can facilitate, verify, and implement the negotiation between multiple parties, also guaranteeing transactions without a traditional legal entity. Many tools supporting the smart contracts development in different areas are flourishing because in Ethereum blockchain valuable assets are often involved. Some of the tools help the developer to find security vulnerabilities via static and/or dynamic analysis or to reduce the Gas fees consumption. Despite the plethora of such tools, there is no tool supporting smart contracts evaluation and analysis via a graphical representation for expert developers.The paper embraces this way to facilitate the developers’ analysis activity, by proposing a graphical representation model to visualize smart contract source code. The paper makes available a tool via a web interface, which accepts the smart contract address as an input and produces a graphical representation of the smart contract as an output. The graphical representation can help developers to better understand the structure of smart contracts and share it with other developers. Moreover, some metrics, such as the relations among smart contracts, are easier to be understood via "spatial" than "tabular" representation. Indeed, representing smart contracts’ metrics via visual representation facilitates the developers, who are used to analyse the source code by directly inspecting it or using other tools that provide the metrics in a table format. Finally, the paper provides detailed data regarding a smart contract to the developers and proposes a graphical representation of the smart contracts without obscuration of details, also highlighting areas of the code that are possibly too big in size and/or too complex via a diagram displaying their connections.

The "Decentralized Storage Drive" project introduces a secure, blockchain-based platform for decentralized data storage and sharing. By integrating the Interplanetary File System (IPFS) for decentralized storage, the platform ensures that data remains immutable and resistant to censorship. Solidity smart contracts deployed on the Ethereum blockchain provide robust mechanisms for access control, allowing users to manage data ownership and permissions without relying on centralized authorities. A React-based front- end interface simplifies user interaction, enabling seamless data upload and access management. This project addresses critical issues related to data privacy, security, and ownership, offering a user-friendly solution that empowers individuals with greater control over their digital assets. Throughout the development of this project, a focus on security, user control, and decentralization has been paramount. The rigorous testing of smart contracts and the integration of secure authentication methods ensure that the platform is both reliable and resilient to potential threats. The "Decentralized Storage Drive" represents a significant advancement in the field of decentralized applications, demonstrating the practical application of blockchain technology in everyday data management. Key Words: Decentralized Storage, Blockchain Technology, IPFS(InterPlanetary File System), Smart Contracts, Data Integrity, Access Control

The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) is the next frontier in the digital revolution and it leverages IoT in the healthcare domain. The underlying technology has changed the current healthcare system by collecting real-time data of patients and providing a patient motioning system. But IoMT also presents a big challenge for data storage management, security, and privacy due to cloud-based storage. Today, this large volume of IoMT generated medical data is stored in the centralized storage system. However, centralization of patient sensitive information leads to a single point of failure, privacy, and security concern. To address these issues, we propose a smart contracts enabled consortium blockchain network. We integrated interplanetary file systems (IPFS) cluster node where smart contracts are deployed at the initial stage for authentication of patient’s and medical devices, the same cluster layer is also proposed as a distributed data storage layer for device-generated data after authentication and these data are securely transmitted over the consortium blockchain. The IPFS cluster node ensures the security and authentication of the devices and it also provides secure storage management in IoMT enabled healthcare system. The consortium network enables the privacy of data owing to hash-based storage in a block of IoMT enabled healthcare network.

To facilitate the consumers’ online shopping, it is very necessary to build a reliable and sustainable product evaluation management (PEM) system to store, secure, and retrieve the evaluation data of products. To this end, we propose a novel PEM system based on blockchain technologies. In this PEM system, the evaluation data of products including evaluation scores and comments are stored in the interplanetary file system (IPFS), and then the data hash addresses are returned and stored on the blockchain. Then, the retrieval of evaluation data is implemented by designing and deploying smart contracts on the Ethereum blockchain. Since it is almost impossible to change any data stored in blockchain and IPFS, the proposed PEM system can protect the comment data from intentional or unintentional modifications. Moreover, the proposed PEM system allows users to efficiently and reliably retrieve the relevant evaluation data of a certain product by a given query keyword with the increase of data stored on the blockchain. In addition, to achieve high sustainability, the proposed system also contains an economic incentive mechanism, which is beneficial to form a virtuous circle in online shopping. The proposed system is simulated on the popular blockchain platform, i.e., Ethereum with Solidity programming language. The experimental results and analysis demonstrate that the proposed PEM system achieves desirable usability, reliability, and sustainability.