Hello everyone,
I would like to present you an article about blockchain:
https://homepage.cs.uiowa.edu/~ghosh/blockchain.pdf
Cryptographic techniques draw on the science of cryptography and allow for the protection of sensitive information (organizational, institutional or personal), either in storage or in communication. Initially devised for information security systems, they are now moving into other use spaces.
Blockchain technology ensures the elimination of the double-spend problem, with the help of public-key cryptography, whereby each agent is assigned a private key (kept secret like a password) and a public key shared with all other agents. A transaction is initiated when the future owner of the coins (or digital tokens) sends his/her public key to the original owner. The coins are transferred by the digital signature of a hash. Public keys are cryptographically generated addresses stored in the blockchain. Every coin is associated with an address, and a transaction in the crypto-economy is simply a trade of coins from one address to another.
The first distributed blockchain was implemented in 2008 as a core component of the digital currency Bitcoin, where it serves as the public ledger for all transactions. It turns out that blockchain technology can be used in many other areas of life rather than finance.
Questions are:
- Do you think that blockchain is a breakthrough in cyber privacy?
- What are possible future extensions to blockchain technology? Where does it have the potential to be used?
- Does data decentralisation have a chance in computer science?
1. Do you think that blockchain is a breakthrough in cyber privacy?
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion blockchain is a breakthrough in cyber privacy. The blockchain technology is based on an encrypted cryptographic structure, does not require any intermediary to verify data from the transaction or to confirm its participants, so that its operating costs are incomparably lower than other systems and the output is enormous. Through distribution and decentralisation, it is immune to all kinds of IT system failures.
2. What are possible future extensions to blockchain technology? Where does it have the potential to be used?
I would say that it can be used almost anywhere where is information flow or for payment transactions. According to my PhD thesis, I consider using this technology to transfer and store patient’s medical data. The main interest will be found in the banks and above all the stock exchanges. At the same time people are wondering how to move this technology to other applications. People are mainly interested in the application of this technology in: Electricity, Personal Tokens, Supply Chain, Land Records, Security, Public Administration, Contracts and Corporate Data, and even Testaments.
3. Does data decentralisation have a chance in computer science?
I think that decentralisation has great chance in computer science. Because there is no single server machine that is solely responsible for all the processing. The architecture allows to distribute the workload among multiple compute nodes (machines), and each of them is equally capable of servicing requests. The best example that I should definitely mention is Cassandra data store. Data is stored on multiple nodes, and client requests can come to any node (probably the one that is geographically nearest to minimize the latency).
I fully agree with your conviction about the blockchain’s impact on cyber privacy. Moreover I think that its effectiveness is due to decentralisation of data. I have never heard about Cassandra but I know that Google Drive uses the same data storage technology.
Delete
ReplyDelete1. Do you think that blockchain is a breakthrough in cyber privacy?
I am very big ignorant when it comes to cyber privacy, so I don't know any other technology which could help in this case.
This is the reas why I don't have idea if blockchain is realy a breakthrough. After this article and more information from the internet I must say that because of decentralisation and its build and from very big hype around this , so I think that this can be some sort of breakthrough.
2. What are possible future extensions to blockchain technology? Where does it have the potential to be used?
Besides bitcoins and banking/financial products I think that maybe wireless technology can benefit something from this.
This is quite nice article : http://www.wired.co.uk/article/future-of-the-blockchain
3. Does data decentralisation have a chance in computer science?
In my opinion everything which is decentralised is better. P2P are used quite often so I think that other decentralised technologies also can have a chance.
Thank you for your comment and for the article. Of course blockchain became the cause of the explosion of startups proposing different blockchain applications to a vast range of areas. Although P2P networks are an old invention, they are currently experiencing their second youth.
Delete1. Yes, blockchain is a breakthrough in cyber privacy. The fact that Bitcoins are used for dark web payments is the evidence here. What you do is really private.
ReplyDelete2. Many articles about blockchain claim that the sky is the limit when it comes to the future possibilities. I've heard a nice opinion that blockchain today is where the internet was in the 90s. Theoretically, Facebook could start then, but it started much later. We can just guess what the future blockchain-Facebook will be. Eventually, we can try to create this one :)
The only concern from my site is that when it comes to blockchain we may be just before "Peak of Inflated Expectations" from Gartner's Hype Cycle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hype_cycle).
3. Yes, decentralization is always a good idea. It allows availability, scalability, resilience and so on. I really enjoy HBO's "Silicon Valley" TV series. In the last season, the main characters finally achieved a breakthrough and created a decentralized internet :)
I agree with you. Blockchain may be a breakthrough not only in cyber security but also in many other areas of information technology. But I would be more optimistic about the phase of the Gartner’s Hype Cycle.
DeleteI agree with the previous speakers. I find blockchain a real breakthrough in cyber privacy.In fact anything that bases on decentralisation has great chances to succeed. In the modern world there's no place for centralised systems, technologies, structures any more, as they are no longer reliable and safe. When it comes to possible future etensions to blockchain technology, nothing except for the most obvious examples comes to my mind. Banking products and services, stock-exchange related services etc.
ReplyDeleteYes, you are right. But do you really think that centralised systems are no longer safe? And how about the current banking? So far, the client-server architecture dominates and we use it every day. If it was not safe at all, no one would use it.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI also agree. The blockchain is next step in cyber security. I think there are other obstacles in using this solution than technological issues. Especially in financial sector regulators don't allow to pay without any supervision. If we read news about governments plans we will see oposite direction actions. Polish Ministry of Finance is going to control any payments incoming and outgoing of any size of a company.
ReplyDeleteDecentralisation from capacity and stability of network point of veiev seems to be a good solution.
Thank you for your comment. In my opinion you mentioned two very important issues: taxation and stability of the decentralized network. Some governments are actively fighting with the cryptocurrency. And that is the reason why finance is not the best area for blockchain technology.
DeleteDo you think that blockchain is a breakthrough in cyber privacy?
ReplyDeleteI am not an expert in blockchain and bitcoins. I have never used them. As I heard it is kind of breakthrough in cyber privacy. There are some studies connected to recognisign terrorist in blockchain so it appers it is not easy to break it
What are possible future extensions to blockchain technology? Where does it have the potential to be used?
It is hard to predict what future extensions may be. I believe that human's imagination is infinite so there are as many possibilities. In example it can be used in applications where payment is needed.
Does data decentralisation have a chance in computer science?
I think that goverment would prefer to control payments and they will introduce some regulations to stop blockchains. On the other hand who knows what more people can invent? If many people will see an advantage in decentralisation it will have a chance.
That’s right. However, as far as I’m concerned it’s impossible to break the blockchain because of its structure, cryptographic algorithms and above all decentralisation.
DeleteTo be honest a cryptology science is not mine domain of research and I have very little to say about this subject. However..
ReplyDelete3. Does data decentralisation have a chance in computer science?
From time to time diffrent philosopy are practicated. The Internet was decentralised in case of nuclear armagedon. But when we connect decentralised PC computers tendency was changed in 180 degrees. Now we use thin clients to connect to central application somewhere on the server. However supercomputer are expensive and we where forced to create load-balanced environemnts often with servers in many diffrent location. You can now see that diffrent approaches are taken in computer software quality improvement and I belive there is room for decentralised cryptoocurrency either.
I agree that decentralisation is one of few possibilities. Thin clients are also very convenient solution especially for administrators so they are popular. I look at the issue of decentralisation in smaller areas rather than globally because complete solution seems to be impossible.
DeleteMaybe it is interesting http://www.businessinsider.com/london-block-exchange-launches-prepaid-cryptocurrency-debit-card-2017-11?IR=T
DeleteGreat news! Blockchain technology seems to be getting closer to our everyday life.
DeleteLike some of the others me too I have a very little knowledge in this domain. Considering that the bitcoin based on the blockchain was such a success I would agree that it may be a breakthrough.
ReplyDeleteDecentralization or distributed systems solve many problems besides security. It for example enables processing of big data.
I agree with you in general. I’m also not a specialist in this area however I see many opportunities for blockchain technology.
DeleteAlthough this in definitely not my field of interest and I don't feel confident enough to answer any of your questions, thanks for an interesting read :)
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome ;)
DeleteDo you think that blockchain is a breakthrough in cyber privacy? In my opinion it is a new paradigm, but I would have been skeptical of this solution. yet. What are future extensions to blockchain technology? Where does it have the potential to be used? Does data decentralization have a chance in computer science? I do not understand the question too much. decentralization exists and we use it, I am concerned about the time of access to these data.
ReplyDeleteOf course data decentralisation is being used but not very often. In third question I was wondering whether decentralised systems would be more popular (for example because of blockchain technology). Why are you concerned about the time of access to these data? Do you think it will be longer than in centralized systems?
DeleteHello, thanks for article. Unfortunately I am not an expert in cryptography. I have never used bitcoin and any cryptocurrency :).
ReplyDeleteDo you think that blockchain is a breakthrough in cyber privacy?
From my point of view it is to early to state it as some kind of breakthrough. I am afraid mostly about “crypto”'s part - I mean security / privacy. As I wrote at the beginning - it requires continuous validation. I can say that it is very interesting field.
What are possible future extensions to blockchain technology? Where does it have the potential to be used?
If it will be validated then every area will be interested to deploy this technology. Cyber privacy is one of the hottest fields in nowadays. Everyone needs privacy in the global village. Isn’t it?
Does data decentralisation have a chance in computer science?
It sounds like a engineering problem. Decentralization increases availability and scalability. It is much easier to manage workload in decentralized solutions.
I want to go back to the safety problem. Standard (centralized) solutions are safe in my opinion too. The weakest point in security (in every solution) is human. The most of data leaks were caused by human error.
In my opinion you have very good insights. I’m also curious how the blockchain data security will be maintained in the future. I agree that centralised systems are safe (if a secure data exchange exists at all).
Delete1. In my opinion blockchain is a significant breakthrough in cyberspace although Blockchains have been around for almost a decade and first came to prominence with the rise of bitcoin. Blockchains are a database platform with several key market differentiations. First, they are decentralized, removing single authority over the data. Second, many are publicly vetted through a network of users. Third, data is permanent as each record is recorded in a block and linked to adjacent records, making them immutable and linear.
ReplyDelete2. There are countries that have successfully applied this technology. Cyprus, for example, a record is kept higher education people based on the blockchain (nie jest jasne o co chodzi).If you didn’t get a higher education in 2008, then blockchain can’thave been falsified, overwritten. You can buy paper from retroactive, but the registry does not confirm this. Estonia leads the world's first governmental program based on the block chain. It enables, among others, the authentication of commercial contracts, marriages, identities, registration of companies. It also has a register of eligible voters. In addition, this technology can be used to secure the intelligent cities and many other areas that Cezary mentioned.
3. In my opinion decentralization has a chance of success and will allow for stability.
Thank you very much for your examples of blockchain usage. I have heard about voting but not about the registry of someone’s education. It’s a really good and practical example.
DeleteDo you think that blockchain is a breakthrough in cyber privacy?
ReplyDeleteI think it's a next step in cyber security giving us a possibility to be sure something in cyber space is genuine. I'm not sure if it's breakthrough I would expect something bigger to be labeled breakthrough.
What are possible future extensions to blockchain technology? Where does it have the potential to be used?
I think this is just another hype and buzzword, I'm very happy people are getting excited about this concept but I don't really feel like speculating where it will find it's best application.
Does data decentralisation have a chance in computer science?
Chance of what? I think it's already a fact not something to be questioned? The whole internet works as decentralised system which I think is perfect answer in the meaning of having a chance.
I appreciate your insights however Internet works in client-server architecture in general. As far as I’m concerned, there are only few services and protocols that uses decentralised architecture (peer-to-peer networks) in the Internet. That’s why I asked if there is a chance for a change in this area.
DeleteBlockchain technology is indeed able to provide us with the kind of all in one cyber security solution. Rather than looking for encrypting data at the initial point, or making sure security at the final point, the blockchains give end-to-end security including transaction security, protection against negligent or malicious insiders, communication infrastructure safety and server failures.
ReplyDelete1.Yes
2. It is opportunity for decentralised internet 3.0
3. Yes, I think it will be next big trend
It seems to me that your suggestion about Web 3.0 is very accurate. Several people have already mentioned the possibility of a decentralized Internet. Sounds interesting.
DeleteIn my opinion, the blockchain is not breakthrough in cyber privacy, because the idea deciding about its success is cryptography.
ReplyDeleteThe future extensions I can see in protecting other than financial, sensitive data. It can be used in business to hide commercial and crucial data. In the end, I can imagine the reality with better access and lower cost of such solutions to protect all of our personal data, including private mail etc. I think such possibilities can stop uncontrolled information spreading out we deal now. To do this we need to have cheaper and more available IT solutions.
Data decentralization has definitely chance in computer science, like all the other possibilities. The research shall follow the reality, simply. If it goes this way, we’ll need to focus on different aspects, that’s all. We’ll find a way to find something to analyze.
Thank you for your comment. In my opinion you mixed two concepts: cyber privacy and cyber security. I agree that cyber security, as a one component of a blockchain, depends on cryptography. But you also mentioned protection of our personal data etc. That’s the right way for blockchain in general.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeletethank you for the article. According to your questions:
1. Do you think that blockchain is a breakthrough in cyber privacy?
Yes, from the basis it was built at ECDSA, it's robust (not depending on any authorities), anonymous and transparent.
2. What are possible future extensions to blockchain technology? Where does it have the potential to be used?
I think that it would play important role in critical Infrastructure IT security and, for example, in telemedicine, where secure data channel between patient and a doctor is crucial.
3. Does data decentralisation have a chance in computer science?
Yes, especially when we talk not directly in p2p perspective rather than architecture resources sharing. An example could be CDN (content delivery network) that optimizes traffic of serves resources, Cassandra (in the field of databases, as Cezary mentioned) or even simple load balancing with machines in various geographical regions that could deliver us resources faster by using even such as an easy method as round-robin DNS.
In my opinion you have very good insights. Great examples with telemedicine and CDNs – simple but accurate.
DeleteThank you for an interesting article (the area is new to me).
ReplyDeleteDo you think that blockchain is a breakthrough in cyber privacy?
What are possible future extensions to blockchain technology? Where does it have the potential to be used?
I don't know much about blockchain, so I am not able to make a comment in a broader context of this subject. My personal and scietifict interests are a bit far from the topic you presented.
Does data decentralisation have a chance in computer science?
I think it has a chance and actually it looks like it is getting more popular. Maybe this is how the future of IT will look like.
Thank you for your answers. This issue is also new for me however very interesting because of its impact on the cyber privacy future.
Delete1. Do you think that blockchain is a breakthrough in cyber privacy?
ReplyDeleteIt is hard for me to say anything about blockchain because I can't say I am a some of a kind of a pundit in this area. I am afraid I have too little knowledge to say whether blockchain is a breakthrough in cyber privacy.
2. What are possible future extensions to blockchain technology? Where does it have the potential to be used?
As far as I know, it is (or will be in short run) possible to pay bitcoins with a card.
3. Does data decentralisation have a chance in computer science?
Apart from the blockchains it seems that the idea of such data distribution seems quite promising.
As Piotr wrote, A London-startup is launching a new debit card that will allow people to spend cryptocurrencies across the UK. So it's already happening :)
DeleteDo you think that blockchain is a breakthrough in cyber privacy?
ReplyDeleteI don't think so. It's not really new. However, additional level of protection is always welcome.
What are possible future extensions to blockchain technology? Where does it have the potential to be used?
It's hard to predict. It can be forgotten pretty fast and grow even stronger. My crystal ball is broken...
Does data decentralisation have a chance in computer science?
This is far from being new. We are trying to do that in most cloud solutions. I think it's a must nowadays.
You are right – it’s not a new topic. Blockchain technology is almost 9 years old and the data decentralisation is circa 30 years old. But we are experiencing the reconnaissance of these technologies. I agree with your statement: “it’s a must nowadays”.
Delete1. Do you think that blockchain is a breakthrough in cyber privacy?
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to say it is a breakthrough as this technology is known for some time now. For sure we observer that blockchain can have a very positive influence on more areas of our life. But in terms of cyber privacy I think that we should wait for quantum computers, technology related with that will be impossible to hack due to law of physics, this will be the real breakthrough in this area.
2. What are possible future extensions to blockchain technology? Where does it have the potential to be used?
For sure the finance industry will take the most of it. We already can observer more and more ideas and startups related with that.
3. Does data decentralisation have a chance in computer science?
I think that this is something about everyone is talking about but we will never achieve. I think that decentralization is something that will never happen in computer science because it is not needed.
I’m also waiting for quantum computers. I agree with you that it may ensure great security of blockchain technology. However I disagree that decentralisation is not needed in computer science. I think that decentralisation is inevitable.
Delete