scholarly journals Blockchain-Based Digital Contact Tracing Apps for COVID-19 Pandemic Management: Issues, Challenges, Solutions, and Future Directions (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheikh Mohammad Idrees ◽  
Mariusz Nowostawski ◽  
Roshan Jameel
Keyword(s):  
Personal Information ◽  
Data Encryption ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Accurate Information ◽  
Effective Technique ◽  
Privacy And Security ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Privacy And Confidentiality ◽  
Management Issues

UNSTRUCTURED The COVID-19 pandemic has caused substantial global disturbance by affecting more than 42 million people (as of the end of October 2020). Since there is no medication or vaccine available, the only way to combat it is to minimize transmission. Digital contact tracing is an effective technique that can be utilized for this purpose, as it eliminates the manual contact tracing process and could help in identifying and isolating affected people. However, users are reluctant to share their location and contact details due to concerns related to the privacy and security of their personal information, which affects its implementation and extensive adoption. Blockchain technology has been applied in various domains and has been proven to be an effective approach for handling data transactions securely, which makes it an ideal choice for digital contact tracing apps. The properties of blockchain such as time stamping and immutability of data may facilitate the retrieval of accurate information on the trail of the virus in a transparent manner, while data encryption assures the integrity of the information being provided. Furthermore, the anonymity of the user’s identity alleviates some of the risks related to privacy and confidentiality concerns. In this paper, we provide readers with a detailed discussion on the digital contact tracing mechanism and outline the apps developed so far to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, we present the possible risks, issues, and challenges associated with the available contact tracing apps and analyze how the adoption of a blockchain-based decentralized network for handling the app could provide users with privacy-preserving contact tracing without compromising performance and efficiency.

Evolving Cyber Threats, Combating Techniques, and Open Issues in Online Social Networks

2021 ◽  
pp. 219-235
Author(s):  
Sanjeev Rao ◽  
Anil Kumar Verma ◽  
Tarunpreet Bhatia
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Online Social Networks ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Machine Learning Algorithms ◽  
Privacy And Security ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Professional Groups ◽  
Cyber Threats ◽  
Common Interests ◽  
Cyber Crimes

Online social networks (OSNs) are renowned powerful web tools that allow worldwide users to connect with their friends, families, professional groups, and social circle through social interaction for sharing common interests. With the proliferation, ease, and efficacy of OSNs, these are becoming an essential tool for communication. But many OSN users innocently uncover their personal information such as their home address, phone numbers, email id, etc. that can be used by the malicious user to perform various kind for cyber-crimes like cyber-bullying, spamming, click-jacking, identity theft, phishing, distrust, fake profiles, spreading malicious content, etc. This chapter presents a review of various privacy and security threats/attacks associated with OSN users and recommended combating techniques based on data-mining and machine learning algorithms. Also, the future directions for upcoming researchers in this field are suggested.

scholarly journals A Cost Analysis of Implementing a Blockchain Architecture in a Smart Grid Scenario Using Sidechains

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 843 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iago Sestrem Ochôa ◽  
Luis Augusto Silva ◽  
Gabriel de Mello ◽  
Nuno M. Garcia ◽  
Juan Francisco de Paz Santana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Analysis ◽  
Smart Grid ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Security And Privacy ◽  
Smart Contracts ◽  
Privacy And Security ◽  
Grid Systems ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Sustainable Power ◽  
Information Today

Smart grid systems have become popular and necessary for the development of a sustainable power grid. These systems use different technologies to provide optimized services to the users of the network. Regarding computing, these systems optimize electrical services by processing a large amount of the data generated. However, privacy and security are essential in this kind of system. With a large amount of data generated, it is necessary to protect the privacy of users, because this data may reveal the users’ personal information. Today, blockchain technology has proven to be an efficient architecture for solving privacy and security problems in different scenarios. Over the years, different blockchain platforms have emerged, attempting to solve specific problems in different areas. However, the use of different platforms fragmented the market, which was no different in the smart grid scenario. This work proposes a blockchain architecture that uses sidechains to make the system scalable and adaptable. We used three blockchains to ensure privacy, security, and trust in the system. To universalize the proposed solution, we used the Open Smart Grid Protocol and smart contracts. The results show that architecture security and privacy are guaranteed, making it feasible for implementation in real systems; although scalability issues regarding the storage of the data generated still exist.

scholarly journals MedShard: Electronic Health Record Sharing Using Blockchain Sharding

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 5889
Author(s):  
Faiza Hashim ◽  
Khaled Shuaib ◽  
Farag Sallabi
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare System ◽  
Small Groups ◽  
Network Performance ◽  
Communication Overhead ◽  
Privacy And Security ◽  
Health Records ◽  
Medical Practitioners ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Simulation Results ◽  
Electronic Health

Electronic health records (EHRs) are important assets of the healthcare system and should be shared among medical practitioners to improve the accuracy and efficiency of diagnosis. Blockchain technology has been investigated and adopted in healthcare as a solution for EHR sharing while preserving privacy and security. Blockchain can revolutionize the healthcare system by providing a decentralized, distributed, immutable, and secure architecture. However, scalability has always been a bottleneck in blockchain networks due to the consensus mechanism and ledger replication to all network participants. Sharding helps address this issue by artificially partitioning the network into small groups termed shards and processing transactions parallelly while running consensus within each shard with a subset of blockchain nodes. Although this technique helps resolve issues related to scalability, cross-shard communication overhead can degrade network performance. This study proposes a transaction-based sharding technique wherein shards are formed on the basis of a patient’s previously visited health entities. Simulation results show that the proposed technique outperforms standard-based healthcare blockchain techniques in terms of the number of appointments processed, consensus latency, and throughput. The proposed technique eliminates cross-shard communication by forming complete shards based on “the need to participate” nodes per patient.

scholarly journals IoT Technologies during and Beyond COVID-19: A Comprehensive Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 105
Author(s):  
Mohamed Yousif ◽  
Chaminda Hewage ◽  
Liqaa Nawaf
Keyword(s):  
Social Impact ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Privacy And Security ◽  
Comprehensive Review ◽  
Iot Applications ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Readiness Level ◽  
Improved Performance

The COVID-19 pandemic provided a much-needed sanity check for IoT-inspired frameworks and solutions. IoT solutions such as remote health monitoring and contact tracing provided support for authorities to successfully manage the spread of the coronavirus. This article provides the first comprehensive review of key IoT solutions that have had an impact on COVID-19 in healthcare, contact tracing, and transportation during the pandemic. Each sector is investigated in depth; and potential applications, social and economic impact, and barriers for mass adaptation are discussed in detail. Furthermore, it elaborates on the challenges and opportunities for IoT framework solutions in the immediate post-COVID-19 era. To this end, privacy and security concerns of IoT applications are analyzed in depth and emerging standards and code of practices for mass adaptation are also discussed. The main contribution of this review paper is the in-depth analysis and categorization of sector-wise IoT technologies, which have the potential to be prominent applications in the new normal. IoT applications in each selected sector are rated for their potential economic and social impact, timeline for mass adaptation, and Technology Readiness Level (TRL). In addition, this article outlines potential research directions for next-generation IoT applications that would facilitate improved performance with preserved privacy and security, as well as wider adaptation by the population at large.

scholarly journals Rise, Fall, and Recovery of Blockchains in the Maritime Technology Space

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 266
Author(s):  
Ziaul Haque Munim ◽  
Okan Duru ◽  
Enna Hirata
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Approach ◽  
The Other ◽  
Privacy Management ◽  
Maritime Industry ◽  
Privacy And Security ◽  
Maritime Literature ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Antitrust Laws ◽  
Maritime Technology

Blockchain technology, since its introduction, has been expected to be implemented in many areas. Cryptocurrency is one unique example that established a functioning application. On the other hand, blockchain technology is not immune to various challenges related to the nature of itself, privacy management, and antitrust laws, among others. This study lays out the nature of blockchain and applications in the maritime industry, while highlighting the bottlenecks. Potential resolutions and anticipated developments are proposed. To do this, we adopt a systematic approach and present an overview of blockchain in maritime literature. In addition, the fundamental problems with blockchain are investigated, beginning from their essentials to the pain points that are claimed to need improvement. For establishing a legitimate and practically meaningful blockchain platform, stakeholders need to achieve pluralism (consensus validation), privacy, and security of the system.

Leveraging blockchain based decentralized apps for the Tokyo Olympics amid the COVID-19 pandemic

First Monday ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rishi Sabarigirisan ◽  
Aditi Biswas ◽  
Ridhi Rohatgi ◽  
Shyam KC ◽  
Shekhar Shukla
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Strategic Objectives ◽  
Crowd Management ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Smooth Contact ◽  
Public Health And Safety

The COVID-19 pandemic has induced a cloud of uncertainty over the mega sports event, the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Cancelling or re-scheduling the event could have serious repercussions on the economic, social and environmental well-being for the involved stakeholders. Thus, it becomes critical to conduct events of this magnitude by adopting appropriate public health measures. In this research, we primarily focus on two main premises relative to public health and safety, contact tracing and crowd management. We explore and evaluate the usability of blockchain based decentralized apps in crowd management and contact tracing for the Tokyo Olympics using value-focused thinking (VFT). A VFT framework aids in narrowing fundamental and strategic objectives that need to be addressed for smooth contact tracing and crowd management by understanding stakeholder viewpoints. We established an equivalence of the objectives identified through VFT with blockchain technology properties. Further, we also present a conceptual ideation of contact tracing and crowd management through blockchain based decentralized apps for the Tokyo Olympics. This work could potentially assist decision-makers, researchers and stakeholders involved in organizing the Tokyo Olympics in understanding and analysing the utility of blockchain based decentralized apps for crowd management and contact tracing.

High national acceptance for COVID-19 contact tracing technologies in Taiwan (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul M. Garrett ◽  
Yuwen Wang ◽  
Joshua P. White ◽  
Yoshihisa Kashima ◽  
Simon Dennis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Virus Spread ◽  
Security Measures ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Privacy And Security ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
The Public ◽  
Privacy Measures ◽  
Credible Intervals

BACKGROUND Governments worldwide have introduced COVID-19 tracing technologies. Taiwan, a world leader in controlling the virus’ spread, has introduced the Taiwan ‘Social Distancing App’ to facilitate COVID-19 contact tracing. However, for these technologies to be effective, they must be accepted and used by the public. OBJECTIVE Our study aimed to determine public acceptance for three hypothetical tracing technologies: a centralized Government App, a decentralized Bluetooth App (e.g., Taiwan’s Social Distancing App), and a Telecommunication tracing technology; and model what factors contributed to their acceptance. METHODS Four nationally representative surveys were conducted in April 2020 sampling 6,000 Taiwanese residents. Perceptions and impacts of COVID-19, government effectiveness, worldviews, and attitudes towards and acceptance of one-of-three hypothetical tracing technologies were assessed. RESULTS Technology acceptance was high across all hypothetical technologies (67% - 73%) and improved with additional privacy measures (82% - 88%). Bayesian modelling (using 95% highest density credible intervals) showed data sensitivity and perceived poor COVID-19 policy compliance inhibited technology acceptance. By contrast, technology benefits (e.g., returning to activities, reducing virus spread, lowering the likelihood of infection), higher education, and perceived technology privacy, security, and trust, were all contributing factors to overall acceptance. Bayesian ordinal probit models revealed higher COVID-19 concern for other people than for one’s self. CONCLUSIONS Taiwan is currently using a range of technologies to minimize the spread of COVID-19 as the country returns to normal economic and social activities. We observed high acceptance for COVID-19 tracing technologies among the Taiwanese public, a promising and necessary finding for the successful introduction of Taiwan’s new ‘Social Distancing App’. Policy makers may capitalize on this acceptance by focusing attention towards the App’s benefits, privacy and security measures, making the App’s privacy measures transparent to the public, and emphasizing App uptake and compliance among the public. CLINICALTRIAL Not applicable.

The complication of cyber manhunt: How cyber manhunt further complicated the ethical conflict between breaching the confidentiality and endangering the society in face of the COVID-19 pandemic (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yen-Chang Chen ◽  
Yen-Yuan Chen
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Public Health Intervention ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Online Activity ◽  
Contact Investigation ◽  
The Impact

UNSTRUCTURED While health care and public health workers are working on measures to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an unprecedentedly large number of people spending much more time indoors, and relying heavily on the Internet as their lifeline. What has been overlooked is the influence of the increasing online activities on public health issues. In this article, we pointed out how a large-scale online activity called cyber manhunt may threaten to offset the efficacy of contact tracing investigation, a public health intervention considered highly effective in limiting further transmission in the early stage of a highly contagious disease outbreak such as the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first section, we presented a case to show how personal information obtained from contact investigation and disclosed in part on the media provoked a vehement cyber manhunt. We then discussed the possible reasons why netizens collaborate to reveal anonymized personal information about contact investigation, and specify, from the perspective of public health and public health ethics, four problems of cyber manhunt, including the lack of legitimate public health goals, the concerns about privacy breach, the impact of misinformation, and social inequality. Based on our analysis, we concluded that more moral weight may be given to protecting one's confidentiality, especially in an era with the rapid advance of digital and information technologies.

scholarly journals Challenges in Contact Tracing by Mining Mobile Phone Location Data for COVID-19: Implications for Public Governance in South Africa

10.28945/4736 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 101-124
Author(s):  
Paul Kariuki ◽  
Lizzy O Ofusori ◽  
Prabhakar Rontala Subramanniam ◽  
Moses Okpeku ◽  
Maria L Goyayi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Public Governance ◽  
The Public ◽  
Location Data ◽  
Pertinent Data ◽  
Privacy And Confidentiality

Aim/Purpose: The paper’s objective is to examine the challenges of using the mobile phone to mine location data for effective contact tracing of symptomatic, pre-symptomatic, and asymptomatic individuals and the implications of this technology for public health governance. Background: The COVID-19 crisis has created an unprecedented need for contact tracing across South Africa, requiring thousands of people to be traced and their details captured in government health databases as part of public health efforts aimed at breaking the chains of transmission. Contact tracing for COVID-19 requires the identification of persons who may have been exposed to the virus and following them up daily for 14 days from the last point of exposure. Mining mobile phone location data can play a critical role in locating people from the time they were identified as contacts to the time they access medical assistance. In this case, it aids data flow to various databases designated for COVID-19 work. Methodology: The researchers conducted a review of the available literature on this subject drawing from academic articles published in peer-reviewed journals, research reports, and other relevant national and international government documents reporting on public health and COVID-19. Document analysis was used as the primary research method, drawing on the case studies. Contribution: Contact tracing remains a critical strategy in curbing the deadly COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa and elsewhere in the world. However, given increasing concern regarding its invasive nature and possible infringement of individual liberties, it is imperative to interrogate the challenges related to its implementation to ensure a balance with public governance. The research findings can thus be used to inform policies and practices associated with contact tracing in South Africa. Findings: The study found that contact tracing using mobile phone location data mining can be used to enforce quarantine measures such as lockdowns aimed at mitigating a public health emergency such as COVID-19. However, the use of technology can expose the public to criminal activities by exposing their locations. From a public governance point of view, any exposure of the public to social ills is highly undesirable. Recommendations for Practitioners: In using contact tracing apps to provide pertinent data location caution needs to be exercised to ensure that sensitive private information is not made public to the extent that it compromises citizens’ safety and security. The study recommends the development and implementation of data use protocols to support the use of this technology, in order to mitigate against infringement of individual privacy and other civil liberties. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers should explore ways of improving digital applications in order to improve the acceptability of the use of contact tracing technology to manage pandemics such as COVID-19, paying attention to ethical considerations. Impact on Society: Since contact tracing has implications for privacy and confidentiality it must be conducted with caution. This research highlights the challenges that the authorities must address to ensure that the right to privacy and confidentiality is upheld. Future Research: Future research could focus on collecting primary data to provide insight on contact tracing through mining mobile phone location data. Research could also be conducted on how app-based technology can enhance the effectiveness of contact tracing in order to optimize testing and tracing coverage. This has the potential to minimize transmission whilst also minimizing tracing delays. Moreover, it is important to develop contact tracing apps that are universally inter-operable and privacy-preserving.

scholarly journals IoT-CCAC: a blockchain-based consortium capability access control approach for IoT

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e455
Author(s):  
Mohammed Amine Bouras ◽  
Boming Xia ◽  
Adnan Omer Abuassba ◽  
Huansheng Ning ◽  
Qinghua Lu
Keyword(s):  
Access Control ◽  
Single Point ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Sharing Economy ◽  
Privacy And Security ◽  
Control Approach ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Control Schemes ◽  
Common Goals ◽  
Intrinsic Feature

Access control is a critical aspect for improving the privacy and security of IoT systems. A consortium is a public or private association or a group of two or more institutes, businesses, and companies that collaborate to achieve common goals or form a resource pool to enable the sharing economy aspect. However, most access control methods are based on centralized solutions, which may lead to problems like data leakage and single-point failure. Blockchain technology has its intrinsic feature of distribution, which can be used to tackle the centralized problem of traditional access control schemes. Nevertheless, blockchain itself comes with certain limitations like the lack of scalability and poor performance. To bridge the gap of these problems, here we present a decentralized capability-based access control architecture designed for IoT consortium networks named IoT-CCAC. A blockchain-based database is utilized in our solution for better performance since it exhibits favorable features of both blockchain and conventional databases. The performance of IoT-CCAC is evaluated to demonstrate the superiority of our proposed architecture. IoT-CCAC is a secure, salable, effective solution that meets the enterprise and business’s needs and adaptable for different IoT interoperability scenarios.

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