Blockchain Chain-of-Custody for Digital Content Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current database systems, particularly centralized ones, are inadequate in protecting digital content from tampering and ensuring an auditable chain-of-custody, especially for sensitive information like medical records and legal evidence, as they lack immutability and are prone to single points of failure.
Innovation Solution
A blockchain-based system is implemented, where a processor configures an interface to receive and store video files, generating a blockchain with cryptographically linked blocks that include metadata and tracking values, ensuring an auditable and immutable chain-of-custody by appending blocks without altering previous ones, and tracing through the blockchain to confirm the integrity of the digital content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional centralized database systems are used to store digital content, then ease of operation and device complexity are maintained at acceptable levels, but the system lacks immutability and is prone to tampering and single points of failure
Solution Approach 1:
The digital content is divided into multiple blocks that are cryptographically linked together in a chain structure. Each block contains a portion of the content and a hash reference to the previous block, creating segmented storage that prevents tampering without requiring complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
Cryptographic hash functions are nested within each block, with each block containing a hash of the previous block. This nested cryptographic structure creates layers of verification that ensure immutability while maintaining manageable system complexity through automated validation.
2Reliability
If blockchain technology is implemented to provide immutable chain-of-custody, then reliability and auditability are improved, but device complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Cryptographic hashes are pre-computed and embedded in each block before the content is finalized or transferred. This preliminary cryptographic preparation ensures that the chain-of-custody is established in advance, making verification simpler and more reliable without increasing real-time processing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of storing complete cryptographic verification mechanisms in every system, the patent uses hash copies and references that can be independently verified. Each block contains cryptographic copies of previous block identifiers, allowing verification without requiring access to the entire original content chain.
3Reliability
If cryptographic linking of blocks is used to prevent tampering, then security and reliability are improved, but processing time and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Cryptographic hash values are computed and embedded in blocks during the initial creation or transfer process, rather than being calculated in real-time during verification. This preliminary cryptographic action ensures tamper resistance while minimizing processing time during content access and validation.
Data Source
AI summary
An example operation may include one or more of authorizing a blockchain for a video file, generating a first tracking value for an entry block referencing the video file, the first tracking value generated based on first data and the video file, receiving second data for each of additional blocks in the blockchain, generating second tracking values based on the second data of the additional blocks, forming the additional blocks including the second tracking values, respectively, appending the additional blocks to the entry block, the entry block and the additional blocks cryptographically linked in an ordered sequence, each of the additional blocks referencing a version of the video file which corresponds to an original version of the video file as referenced by the entry block or a processed version of the video file, the second data in each of the additional blocks indicative of processing performed on the version of the video file in that block, and tracing through the blockchain based on the first and second tracking values to confirm an auditable and immutable chain-of-custody of the video file.