Sherry Bevan - "Blockchain and Pandemics"
An In-depth Look into Blockchain Technology
Good day to you all! Welcome to a session that unveils the secrets of a groundbreaking technology - The Blockchain. In the tech world, some may call it a revolution much like the internet 50 years ago. I'm Sally, a Network Consulting Engineer from Cisco Systems, thrilled to introduce you to the world of Blockchain and its significance.
A Blast from the Internet Past
Remember the times when the internet was solely for humans? The times when people used the internet to search for pictures, listen to music, upload documents, and so on. Today, with technological advancements, the internet has evolved to embrace more than just people, paving the way for the internet of things.
You might ask, "Why discuss the internet of things in Blockchain technology?" Well, there's a fitting quote by a wise philosopher, "If you reveal the secrets to the wind, you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the trees." In the light of recent times, nothing could ring more true.
Security Breaches and the Need for Trust
We have all heard of various renowned companies like Uber, Capital One, and Equifax suffering vulnerabilities and cyber threats. These security breaches have often resulted in a compromise of customer data privacy, reduced company valuations, and monetary losses. Thus, it has become evident that having trust in technology is vital to ensure the safety and security of our transactions.
This is where Blockchain comes into the picture - a technology that's more than capable of boosting our security and injecting trust into our systems.
The Blockchain Misconception
There's a common misconception that Blockchain is equivalent to Bitcoin. Let me clarify that Bitcoin is just an application or use-case of Blockchain.
What is Blockchain?
In its essence, Blockchain is a chain of blocks. Each of these blocks contains transactional data with a unique hash value that's encrypted. The first block on this chain is the Genesis block, and every successive block contains the hash of the previous block. This makes the transactions immutable and ensures its security.
The four pillars that make Blockchain unique are:
- Decentralization – there is no central server, making it difficult for hackers to breach.
- Distributed ledger – it makes a record of all transactions occurring in the Blockchain, similar to a ledger, only it's distributed in nature.
- Consensus – all partaking members of a Blockchain network must agree before adding a new block to the chain. This process is called consensus.
- Immutability – once data is recorded in a block, it cannot be altered.
Blockchain: Solving Modern Security Problems
Blockchain technology, with its advanced features, has had a profound impact on identity theft protection, DDoS protection, validating software updates, ensuring security in instant messaging apps, and IoT security.
Blockchain: Beyond Security
Most importantly, Blockchain technology isn't limited to just security. It also holds significant potential to positively impact a range of industries, from education and government sectors to development as well.
I hope through this session, you have found a clear understanding of what Blockchain Technology is and how it can revolutionize various aspects of our daily life. In a world driven by technology and connectivity, Blockchain indeed holds the key to a more secure future.
Feel free to drop any questions you may have about Blockchain, and we'll be delighted to explain further. Thank you for reading.
Video Transcription
Joining. Good morning. Good afternoon. Good evening one and all. Welcome to our today's session, which is about a very trending technology which we know which we call it as a Blockchain. Hi, I'm Sally working as a network consulting engineer in Cisco systems.I am passionate about learning and implementing technologies and hence, I'm leading multiple initiatives in Cisco. Also, I have delivered a couple of sessions in a IML Blockchain and data science all over the world. Now, imagine if I would have asked you around 50 years ago, which is the next big thing that is going to break the market that is going to bring the revolution into the industry. We would have never guessed that the internet is the thing that is going to bring this change. Talking about internet. There was a good old time where internet was only for people where people could search pictures, music, upload some documents and whatnot. It was a happy only world I would say. But now with the advancement in technologies, newer and new products are getting, getting manufactured and are being launched into the market, right? So, but at the same time, this age, devices or this uh internet of things comes into picture.
So internet is not only for people, it is also for things you must be thinking why this girl is talking about internet of things in Blockchain technology. So I would like to mark a great code said by a great philosopher that if you reveal the secrets to the wind, you should not blame them for being exposed to the trees, right? What else could be true to the current scenario? Let's see, there are some notable security breaches that are happening during this pandemic, you name it and each, each and every organization at some or the other point have or had some major security threats. So let's take a look, look at a few of them. Capital one, Uber Equifax. These are some of the examples. Most of these companies will have to compromise with the customer data privacy and most importantly, it will reduce the valuation, it will reduce the data privacy, it will reduce the monetary loss. Exactly. So we all are agree with the fact that security is very, very important to bring security in our transaction in our technology in our day to day life. What do you think? What is the most important thing? Exactly. Trust. Trust is the very important thing that we need to bring in our technologies and in our day to day life.
And here I'm talking about one such technology which is going to bring trust to boost our security and we call it as a Blockchain before deep dive into Blockchain. There is this huge misnomer that Blockchain is equivalent to Bitcoin. But just tell me, is it true? Is it true that block Bitcoin is equivalent to Blockchain? Exactly. Bitcoin is one of the use case of a Blockchain. All right, then let's start with Blockchain. What is Blockchain and why do we need it? Let's see, Blockchain is made up of different blocks. The very first block we call it as a Genesis block. Each one of the consecutive blocks have a hash value of the previous block. So that this hash hash value is encrypted and irreversible. So you cannot guess which is the next block block that is connected to the first block. We when we are talking about this particular transactions and everything it is immutable in case of Blockchain. Now, the main question arises is that how this Blockchain is constructed and managed.
As you can see into the diagram, there are transactions txty. So trans receiver and transceiver, they will get connected and they will get recorded into a system in every block. It will be a xerox copy of all the content that is there in one block. Now, the main question arises is why Blockchain there are multiple technologies out there in the market. If you take a step back, think about CIA tr that is confidentiality, integrity and availability, which is the basic tr structure in security models Blockchain is the technology that gives us a pretty good mixture of CIA very first one is a decentralization. It is a peer to peer network, there is no centralized server. So if hacker wants to hack one centralized server, that is impossible. In case of Blockchain, for instance, when you transfer some, your, some of your money to your friend, you will have to be dependent on at least the bank paytm or a third party app. But in case of Blockchain, this transaction happens peer to peer without the involvement of third party distributed ledger. As the name suggests, it is a distributed ledger, it is nothing but recorded. All the transactions that are happening in the Blockchain. It is a record.
So main ledger is going to share every transaction with all the blocks that are present in the Blockchain. It is like a xerox copy of all the transactions. Next comes this consensus that makes Blockchain a different. Now imagine a new block wants to get added into the system into a private Blockchain or a public Blockchain that new blogs get verified by all the participants that are present in the norm. That is nothing but consensus and immutability. Exactly no one can change records in the Blockchain. So that's what makes it immutable. These are some of the magical magical points of Blockchain. Now as you just go gone through the Blockchain and its structure and why it is different. We have got a pretty good understanding of Blockchain. Now, let's see what are all security problems that we are facing nowadays in pandemic and that can be solved with the help of Blockchain. Nowadays, it is very easy to get someone's identity and to replace it. But in case of Blockchain, everyone's identity is going to be cryptographically signed and time stamped in case if hacker wants to destroy the data stored in every user's computer, hacker will have to destroy the destroy all the data like every computer that is there in the Blockchain, which makes it impossible to hack the data to get someone's identity.
This could be millions of computers. So with each one storing a copy of some or all the data, that is why we are going to use a Blockchain in case of decentralization, authentication and encryption format that will help us to reduce the identity theft. Exactly. Talking about our next security problem is nothing but the doss when, when you read or hear about the website being brought down by hacker, it generally means it has become a victim of the dos attack. It is a distributed denial of service attacks. The main aim of this attack is to overload the server with a lot of traffic that is unnecessary messages. The current difficulty in preventing the OS attack comes from the existing domain name system. What can we do with Blockchain with Blockchain? We can decentralize the DNS, distributing the contents of this DNS into larger number of nodes. So if hacker wants to hack at least a one node, it will ha that hacker will have to hack all the nodes that are present in the Blockchain. And which makes it again impossible. So do we are going to give the domain editing rights to particular people and with the help of encryption and uh significantly that will reduce the significantly data risk and being accessed change by unauthorized parties. Exactly right. Then the next problem that we are facing is providing validity of software updates. We always get one or the other update of our software upgradation on the laptop right corner or on the mobile. OK. You will have to upgrade your laptop, you will have to upgrade your mobile.
There is a new update for your mobile. Now, before clicking the update button, do we really think if this is a valid or not? What if this is not an update? But this is some virus or this is some malware attack with the help of Blockchain, we can validate if the software update that we getting is real or fake. Smart contract comes into picture what are smart contracts, proof of delivery and proof of digital signature that will be checked before sending the software updates. So before clicking that button of software updates, you will be getting a notification. Ok. This is a valid, this is a, this is not fake software update that you're getting on your system, right? Talking about the next problem that we are facing nowadays is security in instant messaging apps, we all are facing this issue nowadays, you must have read a lot of news about IM apps. What is that instant messaging apps like whatsapp hike, wechat and a lot of other apps are there, right? A lot of metadata is collected from customers during these exchanges on social media. The emerging secure Blockchain communication ecosystem will tackle this issue.
It will work towards creating new system of unified communication. Blockchain is a great solution for that as it secures all data exchanges and enables connectivity between different messaging platforms. So when access control network traffic and even data itself is no longer held in a single location.
If it is a distributed all over the Blockchain, it is much more difficult for cyber criminals to exploit. This has the potential to mean more security and less vulnerability, right? This is very, very important in today's world that because all our life is dependent on IMEs that is instant messaging apps. Talking about next problem, IUT security hackers often gain access to systems by exploiting weakness in age devices. These include routers and switches.
Now other devices such as smart thermostat doorbells, even security cameras are also vulnerable because hackers can get information from that one particular device that we call it as IOT security. How Blockchain can help here? Blockchain technology can be used to protect the system and device from the attack.
How we can give those IOT devices enough smarts to make security decisions without relying on a central authority. For instance, devices can form a group of consensus regarding the normal occurrence within a given network and to lock down any nodes that behave suspiciously. It can also protect all the data exchanges happening between IOT devices. It can be used to attend near real time, secure data transmission and ensure timely communication between these devices located 1,000,000 miles apart. So again, the properties that comes into pictures are decentralization, smart contract and secure identity.
With the help of these magical features of Blockchain. We have already solved a lot of problems and we are going to use and secure our system. But what do you think Blockchain is only limited to security? No, it is not. We have huge industry impact of this Blockchain in in education development, in government sector and many other different areas. So this brings us to the end of our session as every technology comes with prawns and cons Blockchain has its own. But I'm pretty sure we will be using Blockchain technology in different industrial impact in our day to day life. Thank you so much. If you have any questions about Blockchain, please drop a mail or please you can drop them into our chat bot chatbox. What? Oops uh you l OK. Should I share my screen again? Ok, I'm so sorry for that. I'll simply walk you through all uh through the key points that we all talk about some technical issue was there. Yep. So I'm Sally. Uh we talked about, ok, internet has changed all of the things that around the world, internet of people and now it is internet of things and it brings a lot of security threats and vulnerabilities because this, because of these edge devices, what we need is trust in between these devices.
We must have seen notable cyberattacks and breaches in the companies like capital one opper Equifax, linkedin and whatnot. These companies mainly lose their data privacy of customer's private uh data and monetary loss, reduce valuation. That's why we need something called less trust into the system.
And this trust can be bring with the help of Blockchain. Blockchain looks something like this where the first block is a genesis block, all other blocks are connected with the help of a hash value hash value is irreversible. So H one block is going to connect with the H two block with the help of hash value. So even if hacker wants to hack the H two block, he will never get to know which one is the H one block in the system. Blockchain looks something like this where block blocks are connected with the chain. In every block, there are content which looks like blockhead or block size, transaction counter and transaction list. It is made up of sender receiver and a payload. Now the very important thing about Blockchain is that these transactions are being copied in all other blocks. Why Blockchain because it is decentralized, it is distributed ledger that is it is being distributed and a record is being kept in all the blocks consensus. That means if any block wants to come into the picture or into the Blockchain system, it will get verified with all the other blocks that are there into the system already. Immutability, Blockchain is immutable. If you write one transaction into one block, it is immutable. How Blockchain is going to help? It is going to identify the theft protection. It is very easy nowadays that you know, anyone can uh snatch away someone's uh identity and do some nonsense work.
So with the help of identity theft protection, we are going to identify the cybercrimes, how we are going to do that. We are going to decentralize the naming system so that it will be very difficult for a hacker to hack the identity of one person. Next that we think about is the dose protection. You must have heard that. Ok. Um Some website is going down, some server is down. It's not working. It is mainly because of D OS attack. What is D OS attack? It is denial of service attack where lots of and lots of useless messages are being thrown towards the uh one server so that it will block the traffic and it's, it's very uh easy to you know, just block the tr traffic. We can he we can with the help of Blockchain, we can reduce this with the help of decentralization des attack happens because of the domain name system. We call it as a DNS. What we are going to do with Blockchain is that we are going to distribute it towards the system and um in a decentralized manner with the help of domain owners, we are going to give authority to change those system updates with the help of only to few people. Next thing is that proving validity of software updates, you all must get software updates on your mobile phones or on your laptop that OK, the your laptop is getting uh you know, there are updates that you need to do before clicking that button.
We never think that, OK, this is this really um valid or not. So with the help of uh validity of software updates, we can block the validations, domain owners and digital signature that will help us to find out if this is a real or fake. We will be getting a notification from the Blockchain system. OK. This is a real uh and important update that you will have to do on your system right now. Security and im apps, uh instant messaging apps. We all use instant messaging apps like webex uh whatsapp, wechat and hike. So it is very important to, you know, secure these transactions. What is the problem currently? Is that all the transaction data is being captured in one centralized system, which is very easy to hack.
So with the help of Blockchain, we are going to decentralize it, we are going to add a block validation for each and every block for each and every instant messaging app, talking about next securities iot security. Um you know, in cameras, in surveillance cameras and in uh doorbells, there is a weakness that hackers can use and it, they will reduce the security of the system. With the help of Blockchain, we can reduce that as well. But not only with this, we have multiple, multiple applications or use cases and industrial impact in the manufacturing, insurance, government, automotive and education all, all around the world. Also, of course, in finance that is in Bitcoin, you always can go ahead and uh you know, invest in Bitcoin.
It is, it's going to be profitable in, in the future. So, uh that's it about uh the Blockchain system and how we are going to use those use cases in this real pandemic and post pandemic as well.