Dual Blockchain Document Referencing for Integrity Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Private blockchains are more susceptible to data breaches due to their smaller number of nodes and centralized control, which compromises data integrity and trust within the network.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that uses digital fingerprints of previously stored blocks in a first blockchain to verify data integrity by storing these fingerprints in a separate second blockchain, allowing for validity checking when new blocks are added, thereby enhancing security and trust by minimizing the risk of single entity control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a private blockchain is used to maintain data with centralized control by a single entity, then access restriction and data control are improved, but security and trust are worsened due to susceptibility to data breaches
Solution Approach 1:
A public blockchain is introduced as an intermediary layer to verify and store validation information from private blockchain nodes. This mediator blockchain provides independent verification without compromising the private blockchain's access control mechanisms, thereby enhancing security while maintaining operational ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a new dimension by implementing a dual-chain architecture where a public blockchain validates and stores information from private blockchain nodes. This dimensional addition allows verification of node integrity without interfering with the private blockchain's centralized control structure.
2Productivity
If the number of nodes in a private blockchain is reduced for specific use cases, then operational efficiency is improved, but security is worsened due to increased vulnerability to data breaches
Solution Approach 1:
The public blockchain serves as a mediator that compensates for the reduced number of private blockchain nodes by providing an additional layer of verification and security, allowing the private blockchain to maintain small node count for efficiency while achieving security through the public chain's distributed validation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments security functions between two separate blockchains: the private blockchain handles operational efficiency with minimal nodes, while the public blockchain handles security verification. This segmentation allows each chain to optimize for its specific function without compromise.
3Reliability
If digital fingerprints of blockchain blocks are stored in a separate public blockchain for validation, then data integrity is improved, but system complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The validation function is extracted from the private blockchain and placed in a separate public blockchain. This extraction reduces the complexity burden on the private blockchain while maintaining data integrity through the public chain's verification of digital fingerprints.
Solution Approach 2:
The public blockchain acts as an intermediary validation layer that simplifies the overall system by handling the complex task of verifying digital fingerprints externally, allowing the private blockchain to focus on its core function of maintaining data with centralized control.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments provide systems and methods for referencing documents using block chains. A computer-implemented method, for example, includes receiving a hash of a document, storing the hash of the document in a block of a protected block chain, generating a unique identifier for the block of the protected block chain and storing the unique identifier in a public block chain.