Transaction Immutability and Reputation Traceability: Blockchain as a Platform for Access Controlled IoT and Human Interactivity

Abstract

Credible reputation lies at the core of users and devices communicating and transacting successfully. Identity fraud is becoming increasingly difficult to manage in the face of massive-scale database breaches. In critical infrastructure and public safety applications, as well as day-to-day personal and business transactions, it is imperative to have a significant degree of confidence in whom/what one communicates with – whether to know if the recipient can be entrusted with the sender's data, or if the sender's data is to be considered reliably sourced. Even where possible, lost reputation is substantially more cumbersome, timeconsuming and expensive to replace than are compromised, stolen or defective devices and their embedded cryptographic keys. This paper focuses on two methodologies that have considerable implications relative to addressing the reputation issue: (1) blockchain-enabled anomaly detection and assessment that involves dynamically asserted identity at the network edge effected through end-user targeted release of trusted behavioral data; (2) IoT and human interaction that is securely facilitated through use of an "Inviter-Invitee" protocol to set up dedicated maintainable "communication lines." The judiciously applied combination of the cryptographic protocol suites that enable the two methodologies results in a practicably implementable system for smart city use cases.