GDPR-Compliant Use of Blockchain for Secure Usage Logs

The unique properties of blockchain enable central requirements of distributed secure logging: Immutability, integrity, and availability. Especially when providing transparency about data usages, a blockchain-based secure log can be beneficial, as no trusted third party is required. Yet, with data governed by privacy legislation such as the GDPR or CCPA, the core advantage of immutability becomes a liability. After a rightful request, an individual’s personal data need to be rectified or deleted, which is impossible in an immutable blockchain. To solve this issue, we exploit a legal property of pseudonymized data: They are only regarded personal data if they can be associated with an individual’s identity. We make use of this fact by presenting P3, a pseudonym provisioning system for secure usage logs including a protocol for recording new usages. For each new block, a one-time transaction pseudonym is generated. The pseudonym generation algorithm guarantees unlinkability and enables proof of ownership. These properties enable GDPR-compliant use of blockchain, as data subjects can exercise their legal rights with regards to their personal data. The new-usage protocol ensures non-repudiation, and therefore accountability and liability. Most importantly, our approach does not require a trusted third party and is independent of the utilized blockchain software.