Message exchange on base of a blockchain-based layered architecture

Blockchain technology has the potential to transform healthcare delivery by facilitating data sharing between providers and electronic health record (EHR) systems. However, significant roadblocks stand in the way of widespread implementation of this technology across the healthcare industry. Our blockchainbased data-sharing solution addresses two of the most critical challenges associated with using blockchain for health data sharing: protecting sensitive health information and deploying and installing blockchain software across diverse hospital environments. Since transparency is a fundamental feature of blockchain, we enabled user- and group-based secret sharing by adding purpose-built software that leverages a collection of well-established cryptographic algorithms. To streamline deployment, we built a containerized solution that guarantees portability, simplifies installation, and reduces overhead maintenance costs associated with administration. To ensure ease of implementation in a hospital system, we designed our blockchain solution using a distributed microservices architecture that allows us to encapsulate core functions of our system into isolated services that can be scaled independently based on the requirements of a particular hospital system deployment. As part of this architecture, we built core components for securely handling cryptographic secrets, interacting with blockchain nodes, facilitating large file sharing, enabling secondary-index based lookups, and integrating external business logic that governs how users interact with Smart Contracts. The innovative design of our blockchain solution, which addresses critical data security, deployment, and installation challenges, provides the healthcare community with a unique approach that has the power to connect providers while protecting sensitive data.
 Keywords: Blockchain, Data Sharing, Data Exchange, EHR,electronic health record, Ethereum, interplanetary file system, IPFS

A smart contract is a business process agreed upon to run. With a smart contract, all business processes can run automatically after the smart contract receives a trigger and cannot be canceled or changed. Previous research on smart boxes is generally only used for health storage of smart drugs. In this study, facilitated off-chain blockchain model MSCWR SmartBox will focus on shipping for logistics, such as for the use of shipping goods such as valuables. This research focuses on creating an off-chain blockchain smart contract model that is written in pseudocode to support the operations of the MSCWR SmartBox. The creation of off-chain blockchain smart contracts is very important in supporting the MSCWR business process. Making off-chain blockchain Smart Contracts is very important considering the business processes that create follow the Multichain process (Blockchain applications for cryptocurrencies without changing the multichain application). The research method used is user-centered design (UCD). In this study, we use an application prototype approach, use multichain as a blockchain platform and use the environment at BeeBlock Laboratories. The validation and testing of the equipment used with proof of logs from the server show that the smart contract created can be used to support the business processes of the MSCWR SmartBox.

As blockchain solutions become widespread, identifying potential bugs in smart contracts written in Solidity language will be important for these solutions to work correctly. To accurately detect these bugs, the developer must use several state-of-the-art bug detection tools and investigate the potential bugs they report. In this study, we first show that one tool is not enough to detect all the bugs as our Static Analysis for Solidity tool (SA-Solidity) and the known SmartCheck and Securify tools identify different bugs in SmartEmbed’s experimental set of smart contracts. Then, we develop Machine Learning-based Bug Predictor for Solidity (MLBP-Solidity) which predicts files that would be reported by all the previous bug detection tools. MLBP-Solidity eases the burden on the developer by allowing him/her to focus on a subset of files that are most probably buggy. Our experimental results show that MLBP-Solidity achieves 91-99% accuracy, depending on the type of predicted bug.

Blockchain as a service has evolved significantly from where it started as an underlying technology for Bitcoin cryptocurrency when introduced in 2008. Realization of the immense opportunities this technology possesses encouraged the development of several other Blockchain solutions such as Ethereum, which focused more on the unique competencies much beyond just the digital currency. In this chapter, the authors provided insights into the unmatchable capabilities of Blockchain to evade cyber-attacks that can facilitate a much-needed push for the scalable operation of autonomous vehicles by providing a safer and trustable ecosystem through smart contracts. The chapter also discusses the integration of Ethereum Blockchain with Confidential Consortium Framework (CFF) to overcome the shortcomings of Blockchain in terms of speed and volume. Towards the end, they talked about some of the modern technologies such as IoT and AI that can be benefitted by Blockchain.

Access Control (AC) in networking attempts to make sure that only authorized devices perform actions formed upon privileges defined for them with a view to prevent malicious users' entry and interaction in the communication grid. Blockchain solutions contain an arrangement of related blocks that naturally safeguards the trustworthiness, defending the incontestability, defend masked-identity of its transactions/transfers due to scattered consensus strategies and cryptographic solutions. Our survey comprehensively reviews BC-formed AC in broad scope of networking considering AC techniques while breaking down into 4 propositions and assessing them in terms of blockchain roles, AC technique and approach, network elements, and rest. We stockpiled a primary sample of 79 bibliographic references by weeding out them for screening criteria sought from scientific information reservoirs exploiting a qualitative and extensive strategy. Formed upon this survey, in blockchain-formed AC, blockchain can be exploited as an AC manager to administrate network devices and access information, implement automatic AC by means of smart contracts, secure storage of AC related data to reinforce overall AC security, and for safe data exchanging in the operation of AC. Minute assessment highlights that from blockchain-formed AC, 52.5% provide AC using blockchain itself or using smart contracts, 92.5% exploit sequential blockchain, 35% exploit PBFT consensus, provide 100% fine-grained and host-formed AC, 85% decentralized AC, 87.5% have single-factor authentication, 92.5% provide dynamic AC, and 45% have opted for IoT. Finally, we evaluate the chances and difficulties of the principle of blockchain-formed AC and then giving recommended actions to beat them.

Blockchain technology ensures accountability, transparency, and redundancy, but its reliance on public‐key cryptography makes it vulnerable to quantum computing threats. This article addresses the urgent need for quantum‐safe blockchain solutions by integrating post‐quantum cryptography (PQC) into blockchain frameworks. Utilizing algorithms from the NIST PQC standardization process, it is aimed to fortify blockchain security and resilience, particularly for IoT and embedded systems. Despite the importance of PQC, its implementation in blockchain systems tailored for embedded environments remains underexplored. A quantum‐secure blockchain architecture is proposed, evaluating various PQC primitives and optimizing transaction sizes through techniques such as public‐key recovery for Falcon, achieving up to 17% reduction in transaction size. The analysis identifies Falcon‐512 as the most suitable algorithm for quantum‐secure blockchains in computer‐based environments and XMSS as a viable but unsatisfactory stateful alternative. However, for embedded‐based blockchains, Dilithium demonstrates a higher transactions‐per‐second (TPS) rate compared to Falcon, primarily due to Falcon's slower signing performance on ARM CPUs. This highlights the signing time as a critical limiting factor within embedded blockchains. Additionally, smart contract functionality is integrated, assessing the impact of PQC on smart contract authentication. The findings demonstrate the feasibility and practicality, paving the way for robust and future‐proof IoT applications.

Blockchain technology is transforming business models and processes across multidisciplinary industries through increased transparency and decentralization. As blockchain adoption accelerates, it attracts cybersecurity threats so it is important to necessitate robust security strategies. The chapter examines the important role of cybersecurity in enabling organisations and businesses to harness blockchain technology strategic value. How cybersecurity comprehensively builds confidence and trust in blockchain solutions is discussed and allows companies to maximize benefits like cost savings, enhanced security, and also new revenue opportunities. Blockchain components include smart contract auditing, education, and network security. It also emphasizes how to proactively address vulnerabilities and protect blockchain systems which gives organisations a competitive advantage in this digital economy. Lastly, it provides some practical insights in implementing a blockchain cybersecurity strategy that unlocks the strategic potential of this transformative innovative technology.

Port supply chains play a very important role in the process of economic globalization. Lack of trust of the mechanism is the main factor in restricting the development of port supply chains. Blockchains have great potential to solve the trust problem among all participants using port supply chains, which can reduce costs and improve efficiency. As the bridge between blockchains and port supply chains, smart contracts reconstruct the business process of blockchain-empowered port supply chains. In this article, we present an architecture of a consortium blockchain-empowered port supply chain system, and propose a system verification framework for the smart contracts of port supply chains with probabilistic behaviors. The smart contracts are modeled as DTMCs (Discrete-Time Markov Chains), which are automatically transformed through the BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation) description of the smart contracts. The requirements are specified by PCTL (Probabilistic Computation Tree Logic). Moreover, we implement the customs clearance process of the Shanghai Yangshan Port based on blockchain Hyperledger Fabric, and reconstruct the clearance process with smart contracts. We use it to demonstrate the effectiveness of this framework, and identify the smart contracts that do not meet the expected needs of users.

Blockchain-based solution for COVID-19 vaccine waste reduction

Digital systems in railways known as “digital railways” have dramatically changed the railway industry and the nature of railway employees’ work. The Digital Railway is in a large extend linked with the knowledge-based economy, knowledge management and knowledge management technologies which have had a significant impact on digital transformations in the industry and professional education. An ontology characterized the cause-effect and aggregative relations reflecting transformation chains in the various spheres of human activity and shedding light on the Digital Railway place in the context of digital economy is presented. The article argues that the Digital Railway role in changing mechanisms of interaction between industry and universities, which are also specialized research centres with closer ties to the industry, is best understood applying to the idea of “a smart contract” that can be reduced to artificial intelligent agents serving as intermediaries providing interaction between the non-human and human roles in a business process. With the smart contract technology, the Digital Railway might provide a precedent in development of the Hybrid Corporate Intelligence based on industry-related knowledge redistributed between artificial intelligent agents and employees. From this perspective, the process of corporate informatization is seen through a system of artificial intelligent agents implying the formalization of operational rules and regulations into a shared knowledge base in a form of ontologies. The proposed idea can be transferred to universities where smart contracts may support professional training as a business process.

PurposeCross border trade, involving different business environments between the sellers’ and buyers’ countries, may result in conflicts because of asymmetry in the information structure across the borders. The International Chambers of Commerce (ICC) has laid down ground rules on terms of shipment and payment, enabling harmonization and standardization of business process, and fixing of responsibilities for international trade. The international commercial (INCO) terms by ICC define the duties, obligations and cost borne by the exporter and the importer. An exporter’s uncertainty looms once the goods cross his/her border. Therefore, there is a need for a smart contract that is secured, transparent, legitimate and trustworthy. The authors propose a blockchain technology-based smart global contract (BTGC) framework for international trade.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, the authors develop the framework based on value chain analysis (VCA) of international trade and an ontology-driven-blockchain-design approach. The paper analyzes the sequence of activities in the value chain of global trade, the terms of the contract, the data structure templates, the validation rules and the points-of-failure, and proposes the smart contract blockchain structure.FindingsThis paper proposes the BTGC framework considering the INCO terms 2020; it provides the validation rules and the probability of failures; and identifies the elements that cause the halting of contracts and conditions of creation of side blockchains. The framework also includes the governance of the BTGC system.Research limitations/implicationsThe proposed framework not only has implications at the firm level as it automates and secures a global sale contract but also is expected to harmonize the global-trade process as well. The developers may use the attributes, data structure templates and the rules identified in this paper for developing the GC software. Future research may consider using case analysis, class diagrams and the related steps for developing the blockchain software.Originality/valueThis paper proposes a complete value chain of global contract (GC) concerning exports, an ontology of GC and a blockchain-based smart-contract framework based on global standards. Besides, it specifies the elements of fraud (such as the non-integration of side chains) and uncertainty, i.e. the probability of failures. Such a framework will harmonize the global-trade process and build an international standards for smart GC based on blockchain technology (ISSGCBT), which is not yet done.

Implementing blockchain benefits various construction management processes, such as securing payments, enabling traceable design process, and enhancing information transparency in supply chain. However, blockchain implementation in construction is still in its infancy due to weak functionality of smart contracts, which are self-enforceable programs allowing iteration between external data and blockchain. In the context of construction management that embraces complex and dynamic business processes, smart contracts are currently designed based on specific and isolated functional requirements without considering the connection and execution logic between these functions. It leads to inefficient collaboration and even execution errors, thereby corrupting data quality and even causing business failure. Therefore, this paper proposes a Blockchain-BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation) integrated (BBI) framework for construction management. The framework poses two contributions. First, a BPMN-driven method is developed to design smart contracts supporting executing linked and logically connected business activities. Second, an access control strategy is integrated into smart contracts to safeguard the accessibility of sensitive business data in a blockchain environment. The BBI framework is validated in an actual BIM design collaboration scenario, and results show its feasibility and computational performance are acceptable. Several aspects for improvement and future directions are discussed in the end

Blockchain technology, smart contract and microgrid systems have facilitated innovations and breakthroughs in the electricity industry. The once bundled electricity market dominated by a few key players is now gradually becoming unbundled to a more consumer-centric market due to these new technologies. To facilitate the use of community microgrids, this study develops a new trend in peer-to-peer energy trading. In this work, a model for a smart microgrid system, a decentralized energy trading platform based on blockchain, and smart contract technologies is proposed, considering an islanded community microgrid network of energy prosumers. Smart meters were used to ensure the bi-directional flow of data and power, thereby giving prosumers control over their power usage. Storage and validation of participants’ data are stored on the blockchain network, which has a strong feature of decentralization, transparency, security and data immutability. The smart contract automatically executes power delivery and transfer of tokens from the buyer’s wallet to the seller’s energy wallet based on the transaction logic and protocol. A web-user interface was designed to enable the ease of transactions by market participants and the web-user interface was designed on React.Javascript while the smart contract codes were done on the solidity programming language. Algorithms were also developed for the market trade operations in real time and sets of mathematical equations were formulated for energy pricing based on the supply and demand philosophies to curtail over-pricing and underpricing of energy.

As urbanization accelerates, smart cities are increasingly turning to innovative technologies to enhance city management, governance, and citizen engagement. This paper explores the application of blockchain technology in smart cities, particularly its interaction with the Internet of Things (IoT). Despite significant strides in utilizing blockchain for specific applications, existing frameworks often focus on narrow sectors, such as energy management or data security, lacking a holistic integration across municipal functions. This research identifies a critical gap in existing literature: the need for a comprehensive blockchain framework that connects multiple urban sectors, facilitates secure data exchange, and empowers citizens through decentralized systems. The proposed framework underscores the potential of blockchain to create a transparent, efficient, and citizen-friendly urban environment by implementing decentralized identity management, smart contracts for public services, and innovative citizen engagement platforms. By addressing this gap, the study contributes to the discourse on smart city development by providing an adaptable model that can be tailored to the unique needs of diverse urban environments.

Blockchains are distributed ledgers that enable the disintermediation of collaborative processes and, at the same time, foster trust among partners. Modern blockchains support smart contracts, i.e., software deployed on the blockchain, and guarantee their repeatable, deterministic execution. Alas, blockchains and smart contracts lack standardization. Therefore, smart contracts come with heterogeneous properties, APIs and data formats. This hinders the integration of smart contracts running in different blockchains, e.g., into enterprise business processes. This paper introduces the Smart Contract Invocation Protocol (SCIP), which unifies interacting with smart contracts of different blockchains. The protocol supports invoking smart contract functions, monitoring function executions, emitted events, and transaction finality, as well as querying a blockchain. The protocol is accompanied by a prototypical implementation of a SCIP endpoint in the form of a gateway.