【Abstract】COVID-19 has spread rapidly across the globe and become a deadly pandemic. Recently, many artificial intelligence-based approaches have been used for COVID-19 detection, but they often require public data sharing with cloud data centers and thus, remain privacy concerns. This article proposes a new federated learning (FL) scheme, called FedGAN, to generate realistic COVID-19 images for facilitating privacy-enhanced COVID-19 detection with generative adversarial networks (GANs) in edge cloud computing. Particularly, we first propose a GAN where a discriminator and a generator based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) at each edge-based medical institution alternatively are trained to mimic the real COVID-19 data distribution. Then, we propose a new FL solution, which allows local GANs to collaborate and exchange learned parameters with a cloud server, aiming to enrich the global GAN model for generating realistic COVID-19 images without the need for sharing actual data. To enhance the privacy in federated COVID-19 data analytics, we integrate a differential privacy solution at each hospital institution. Moreover, we propose a new blockchain-based FedGAN framework for secure COVID-19 data analytics by decentralizing the FL process with a new mining solution for low running latency. Simulations results demonstrate the superiority of our approach for COVID-19 detection over the state-of-the-art schemes.
【Abstract】The Age of Information (AoI) is a recently proposed metric for quantifying data freshness in real-time status monitoring systems, where timeliness is of importance. In this article, the problem of characterizing and controlling the AoI is studied in the context of blockchain-enabled monitoring networks (BeMNs). In BeMN, status updates from sources are transmitted and recorded in a blockchain. To investigate the statistical characteristics of the AoI in BeMN, the transmission latency and the consensus latency are first rigorously modeled. Then, the average AoI, the AoI violation probability, and the peak AoI violation probability are derived in a closed form so as to quantify the performance of BeMN. Furthermore, a simplified form is derived for the AoI violation probability, and it is shown that this quantity can capture the upper or lower bounds of the actual AoI violation probability. Simulation results show that each BeMN parameters (i.e., target successful transmission probability, block size, and timeout) can have conflicting effects on the AoI-related performance. Subsequently, design insights are provided to maintain the freshness of the status data in BeMN. Then, experimental results with a real Hyperledger Fabric platform further validate the accuracy of our modeling and analysis.
【Abstract】In this article, we present practical stochastic modeling and detailed performance analysis of our double blockchain (DBC) from Hao et al. (2021) for secure information and reputation data management in large-scale wireless Internet of Things (IoT) networks. Specifically, the DBC is a private blockchain deployed on a cloud-fog communication network which is composed of an information blockchain (IBC) storing large amounts of IoT data in the cloud layer and a reputation blockchain (RBC) storing reputation data of the IoT devices in the near-terminal fog layer. The locations of the fog layer nodes are modeled according to a random Poisson point process (PPP) over a given 2-D area to approximate the stochastic property of real-world wireless node deployments. Furthermore, we assume that the number of IoT devices transmitting to the fog nodes also follow a random Poisson distribution. Based on these models, we derive novel closed-form expressions for the storage size, transmission latency, and tampering time of the IoT fog nodes in our DBC architecture. Numerical simulations highlight high storage scalability, low latency, and superior security of the DBC design, and provide insights into the performance gains for different fog node and IoT device densities.
【Keywords】Blockchains; Internet of Things; Interference; Stochastic processes; Smart contracts; Scalability; Security; Double blockchain (DBC); Poisson point process (PPP); trusted and secure Internet of Things (IoT) networks; wireless communications
【Abstract】The transition to a circular supply chain is a prerequisite for the agri-food sector to address growing consumer pressure for sustainability while meeting the required standards of quality and safety. Although traceability systems contribute notably to agri-food sustainability, their function as a core mechanism for monitoring and managing the transition from linear to circular supply chains has been neglected. Our objective in this study is to explore the role of traceability in the transition to sustainability-driven circular agri-food supply chains. We employ an end-to-end supply chain investigation, using a consumer-focused survey and a Delphi study of supply chain stakeholders from farm to shelf. Our results suggest that traceability plays a pivotal role in this process. The acceptance of traceability systems begins with the consumer and moves upstream, from fork to farm, acting as a catalyst through stakeholders' adoption towards a circular economy. A change at the consumer level drives changes in the supply chain and eventually at the company level. This study is the first to introduce a traceability angle to the current literature on sustainable agri-food supply chains and its transition to the circular economy.
【Abstract】Smart manufacturing systems (SMS) are one of the most important applications in the Industry 4.0 era, offering numerous advantages over traditional production systems and rapidly being used as a performance-enhancing strategy of manufacturing enterprises. A few of the technologies that must be connected to construct an SMS are the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Big Data, Robotics, Blockchain, 5G Communication, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and many more. SMS is an innovative and popular manufacturing setup that produces increasingly intelligent production systems; yet, designers must adapt to business tastes and requirements. This study employs an analytical and descriptive research technique to identify and assess functional and non-functional, technological, economic, social, and performance evaluation components that are essential to SMS evaluation. A predictive analytics framework, which is a key component of many decision support systems, is used to assess corporate needs as well as proposed and prioritize SMS services.
【Abstract】Along with applying blockchain technology in the health care service system (HSS), many distributed solutions have been proposed to solve the centralized, data island problems. Although blockchain-enabled HSS has significantly changed the traditional management mode of medical Big Data [e.g., electronic medical records (EMRs)], some new problems such as ledger corpulence, data searchable security, and quantum attack threat are exposed. In this article, we first introduce an efficient EMRs management model called on-chain ledger and off-chain storage (OLOS), in which the indexes of EMRs are uploaded on public blockchain and the real EMRs data are stored in native server. This model can relieve the public ledger and save the public cloud space. Meanwhile, it can protect data security by keeping off the direct operation on real EMRs data. Then, to protect the cross-institutional EMRs sharing security and improve the quantum-resist ability, we proposed a secure keyword-searchable attribute-based encryption (KS-ABE) scheme based on lattice cryptography. Moreover, the scheme can prove to be secure against adaptive chosen-keyword attack and adaptive chosen-policy attack in the random oracle model. Besides, comparison analysis and experimental results show that our KS-ABE scheme has fewer communication costs and smaller key sizes than similar literary works.
【Keywords】Security; Lattices; Cryptography; Access control; Blockchains; Indexes; Servers; Blockchain; data searchability; health care service system (HSS); medical big data; quantum-resist security
【Abstract】Dynamic wireless charging of electric vehicles (EVs) enables the exchange of power between a mobile EV and the electricity grid via a set of charging pads (CPs) deployed along the road. Accordingly, dynamic charging coordination can be introduced for a group of mobile EVs to specify where each EV can charge (i.e., from which CPs). This coordination mechanism maximizes the satisfied charging requests given the limited available energy supply. Upon specifying the optimal set of pads for a given EV, a fast authentication mechanism is required between the EV and the CPs to start the charging process. However, both the coordination and authentication mechanisms require exchanging private information, e.g., EV identities and locations. Hence, there is a need for a strategy that enables privacy-preservation in dynamic charging via supporting: (i) user anonymity and (ii) data unlinkability. In this paper, we propose a decentralized and scalable networking strategy based on a specially designed private blockchain that can support the privacy requirements of dynamic charging coordination, authentication, and billing. The proposed networking strategy relies on group signature and distributed random number generators to support the desirable features. Simulation results demonstrate the efficiency and low complexity of the proposed blockchain-based networking strategy.
【Abstract】Fake news is a major threat to democracy (e.g., influencing public opinion), and its impact cannot be understated particularly in our current socially and digitally connected society. Researchers from different disciplines (e.g., computer science, political science, information science, and linguistics) have also studied the dissemination, detection, and mitigation of fake news; however, it remains challenging to detect and prevent the dissemination of fake news in practice. In addition, we emphasize the importance of designing artificial intelligence (AI)-powered systems that are capable of providing detailed, yet user-friendly, explanations of the classification / detection of fake news. Hence, in this article, we systematically survey existing state-of-the-art approaches designed to detect and mitigate the dissemination of fake news, and based on the analysis, we discuss several key challenges and present a potential future research agenda, especially incorporating AI explainable fake news credibility system.
【Abstract】There are hypes towards blockchain-based traceability systems (BCTS) both from academia and industry. This paper discusses challenges and policy recommendations for BCTS from a viewpoint of industrial application and market competition. First, the potentials of BCTS and the gaps between the ideal and the reality of BCTS are elaborated. Second, we discuss the applicability of BCTS. Third, by a game-theoretic model, we study when supply chains should invest in BCTS. Investment is recommended when investment cost is relatively low compared to the price and market competition is less intense. A prisoner's dilemma arises when investment cost is at a moderate level.
【Abstract】The construction industry plays an essential role in economic development since it is one of the largest industries all over the world. Blockchain has the potential to reshape the structure of all accessible networks in the future. Construction businesses are increasingly interested in embracing blockchain technology to improve supply chain sustainability performance and supply chain resilience in times of globally increasing risks and volatility. This study evaluates the readiness of actors involved in the producing of concrete goods to emphasize the necessity to bring blockchain into the construction industry, as it may be a solution for supply chain resilience and long-term sustainable growth. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were used in collecting and analyzing the data and testing the hypotheses. Data were collected using an online questionnaire distributed to 300 employees who work within the biggest concrete producing companies in Saudi Arabia. 120 respondents completed the questionnaires. Additionally, confirmatory semi-structured interviews with experts in supply chain financing, IT departments, and procurement departments have been conducted; the study's findings revealed a low level of blockchain knowledge within Saudi Arabia's construction industry, since (90%) of respondents have not worked with Blockchain technology. Several technologists barely understand it, and the level of readiness is very low. However, there is a lot of potential, and it is worth investing in it combined with other technologies such as BIM technology. In this study, the authors have sought to provide a measure of Saudi professionals' attitudes and understanding of blockchain technology solutions within the construction industry in Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, the study's novelty aimed to provide a grasp of the conceptual, theoretical, and fundamental features of blockchain technology in the construction industry, as blockchain solutions could benefit the global economy by increasing levels of monitoring, tracing, and confidence in international supply chain resilience.
【Abstract】As smart technology in the shipping industry accelerates, demand for technology development, which aims to increase competitiveness by utilizing the latest smart technologies, is increasing. The shipping industry in each country is pushing for developing its smart technologies at a rapid pace, and it is urgent to prioritize the demand for smart technologies in the shipping industry for sustainable industry growth. The purpose of the present study is to verify the importance and urgency of smart technologies in the shipping industry, and the present study surveys 74 domestic and foreign shipping industry officials, covering shipping companies, brokers, governments, etc. The importance and urgency of each smart technology item in the shipping industry are questioned in a survey. It is necessary to focus investment on specific smart shipping items under a limited budget, and, since the priorities presented in this study were derived through comprehensive collection of opinions from 74 shipping experts, the priorities presented in this study are expected to be effective reference values when implementing sustainable shipping investment policies. According to an interview analysis on importance and urgency, both "autonomous ships" and "blockchain" items show high importance and urgency. Since both importance and urgency are high, strategic priorities are the highest, and it is expected to contribute effectively to enhancing the smartness of the shipping industry when it focuses its investment capabilities in those fields.
【Abstract】The emergence of the blockchain-as-a-service (BaaS) platform reduces the application barrier of blockchain technology. However, in BaaS, the transaction processing demand generated by BaaS users is continuous isolating from the transaction processing capability that comes from blockchain miner community. This results in the phenomenon that miner community spontaneously reduces the transaction processing capacity to obtain higher revenue, which is called the miners' collusion. The BaaS platform requires a new consensus protocol that prevent the miners' collusion while remain the security and immutability of blockchain. Based on this challenge, in this article, we propose a hybrid consensus protocol for BaaS called the Proof-of-Transaction Amount (PoTA). First, we theoretically analyze and formally define the miners' collusion. The existence of Nash-equilibrium collusion strategy has been proven. Second, the calculation method of the miner's effective collusion strategy space is provided to help determine whether the BaaS is facing the threat of collusion. Third, by organizing a transaction packaging committee (TPC) based on transaction amount, PoTA successfully avoids single-identity miners who have greater effective collusion strategy space obtaining the authority of transaction packaging. In the meanwhile, we redefine the reference relationship of blocks to enable cross-verification of PoW and PoS consensus. Finally, we prove our protocol can effectively avoid the occurrence of the miners' collusion. Control experiments prove the outperforms security and performance of PoTA in the comparison with PoW, PoS and other hybrid protocols.
【Abstract】The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of physical objects or "things" implanted with electronics, software, sensors, and connectivity to allow them to exchange data with servers, centralized systems, and other connected devices using several communication systems. IoT data is assembled from various sensors, nodes, and collectors and sent to the cloud. It is the most reliable framework for improving the quality and comfort of human life. It has made a substantial contribution to a wide range of applications. By 2020, it is expected that 31 billion IoT devices will be deployed worldwide. The rapid growth of smart devices and their reliance on wireless mechanics for data transfer have increased their vulnerability to cyberattacks. As a result, studying IoT security dangers and viable countermeasures can aid academics in discovering acceptable solutions to various cybercrime investigation challenges. In this study, various security vulnerabilities at each layer are also examined in-depth and corrective options for smart city applications and Industry 4.0. A comparison analysis of IoT/IIoT wireless communication features and security challenges in IoT systems is also part of this study. The relevance of IoT forensics in cybercrime investigation in many areas such as smart homes, smart cities, automated cars, and healthcare is also discussed in this study. This article presents IoT security concerns and open issues, laying the groundwork for future research.
【Abstract】The Internet of Things (IoT) is increasingly becoming widespread in different areas such as healthcare, transportation, and manufacturing. IoT networks comprise many diverse entities, including smart small devices for capturing sensitive information, which may be attainable targets for malicious parties. Thus security and privacy are of utmost importance. To protect the confidentiality of data handled by IoT devices, conventional cryptographic primitives have generally been used in various IoT security solutions. While these primitives provide just an acceptable level of security, they typically neither preserve privacy nor support advanced functionalities. Also, they overly count on trusted third parties because of some limitations by design. This multidisciplinary survey paper connects the dots and explains how some advanced cryptosystems can achieve ambitious goals. We begin by describing a multi-tiered heterogeneous IoT architecture that supports the cloud, edge, fog, and blockchain technologies and assumptions and capabilities for each layer. We then elucidate advanced encryption primitives, namely wildcarded, break-glass, proxy re-encryption, and registration-based encryption schemes, as well as IoT-friendly cryptographic accumulators. Our paper illustrates how they can augment the features mentioned above while simultaneously satisfying the architectural IoT requirements. We provide comparison tables and diverse IoT-based use cases for each advanced cryptosystem as well as a guideline for selecting the best one in different scenarios and depict how they can be integrated.
【Abstract】Internet of Things (IoT) networks are rapidly expanding, which requires adequate and reliable infrastructure and a large amount of data. The IoT device security and technical confidentiality may benefit from using Blockchain, a decentralised and trustworthy ledger. Increasing transaction throughput and coping with big data transfer situations is critical when dealing with significant volumes of IoT data on the Blockchain. Consequently, this research investigates the Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) crucial functioning of the blockchain-enabled IoT structure, wherever transactions are instantaneously expanded and public divisibility is confirmed. It is important to note that DRL and Blockchain are two separate advancements devoted to the reliability and usefulness of system operation. These are both transactional systems. Technology integration into information exchange and research solutions is becoming increasingly critical. As a result of Blockchain, information may be exchanged securely and decentralised. When used in tandem with DRL, it can significantly improve communication efficiency. By combining DRL and Blockchain throughout the IoT, the author first presents a decentralised and efficient communication structure that allows for scalable and trustworthy information allocation and better performance than earlier options. The DRL approach assesses whether to offload and which service to dump to improve performance up to 87.5%. Furthermore, this method focuses on constructing an effective offloading mechanism for Blockchain-based communication systems to boost performance.
【Abstract】We perceive big data with massive datasets of complex and variegated structures in the modern era. Such attributes formulate hindrances while analyzing and storing the data to generate apt aftermaths. Privacy and security are the colossal perturb in the domain space of extensive data analysis. In this paper, our foremost priority is the computing technologies that focus on big data, IoT (Internet of Things), Cloud Computing, Blockchain, and fog computing. Among these, Cloud Computing follows the role of providing on-demand services to their customers by optimizing the cost factor. AWS, Azure, Google Cloud are the major cloud providers today. Fog computing offers new insights into the extension of cloud computing systems by procuring services to the edges of the network. In collaboration with multiple technologies, the Internet of Things takes this into effect, which solves the labyrinth of dealing with advanced services considering its significance in varied application domains. The Blockchain is a dataset that entertains many applications ranging from the fields of crypto-currency to smart contracts. The prospect of this research paper is to present the critical analysis and review it under the umbrella of existing extensive data systems. In this paper, we attend to critics' reviews and address the existing threats to the security of extensive data systems. Moreover, we scrutinize the security attacks on computing systems based upon Cloud, Blockchain, IoT, and fog. This paper lucidly illustrates the different threat behaviour and their impacts on complementary computational technologies. The authors have mooted a precise analysis of cloud-based technologies and discussed their defense mechanism and the security issues of mobile healthcare.
