An improvement in the safety of big data using blockchain technology

BOHR International Journal of Smart Computing
and Information Technology
2023, Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 50–54
DOI: 10.54646/bijscit.2023.36
www.bohrpub.com
METHODS
An improvement in the safety of big data using blockchain
technology
Archana1* and Gaurav Aggarwal2*
1Department of Computer Science, Govt. PG College for Women, Rohtak, India
2Department of Computer Science, Jagannath University, Jhajjar, India
*Correspondence:
Archana,
archana300030@gmail.com
Gaurav Aggarwal,
gauravaggarw@gmail.com
Received: 25 July 2023; Accepted: 12 August 2023; Published: 24 August 2023
The development of big data in the information technology sector has made data management and analysis far
more challenging. It is necessary to take into account everything, including volume, variety, speed, value, and
complexity. Clustering makes the processing of vast volumes of data simpler. This is especially helpful when
working with unstructured data. By the usage of cloud computing, which makes use of the internet as its delivery
channel, it is possible to provide a variety of computer services, including servers, storage, databases, and
networking, in addition to analytics and intelligence, at a lower cost. The main problem is the security of such
big amounts of data. One way to enforce strong security is blockchain technology which is also the backbone of
cryptocurrency. The distributed, incontrovertible, and publicly verifiable record of every transaction activity that may
be provided by blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize security in a big way for different industries.
Keywords: big data, security, block chain, clustering, inconsistency
Introduction
Big data is a reference to the ever-increasing amount
of data that cannot be processed by traditional database
techniques. Due to its huge size, unstructured as well as
structured data, and complexity, standard data management
technologies are unable to effectively store or process
the information. Some examples of big data include the
following: New York Stock Exchange, which generates
around one terabyte worth of fresh trading data every single
day. The estimates provided by Facebook indicate that more
than 500 gigabytes of fresh data are being uploaded to the
site’s databases on a daily basis. The key ways in which these
data are collected include users uploading photographs and
videos, engaging in discussions with one another, posting
comments, and so on.
Characteristics of big data
Big data can be described by the following characteristics:
a) Volume: The phrase “big data” refers to an extremely
large quantity of data. When you have access to
a vast amount of information, it is essential to
make the most of its potential applications. The
quantity of information that is required to categorize
anything is one major aspect that determines
whether or not it is considered “big data.” The
volume of data is particularly high in banking
and other financial institutions, social media, and
entertainment industries.
b) Variety: The second facet of big data that has to
be taken into consideration is its level of diversity.
The concepts of structured and unstructured data are
both included under the umbrella word “variety.” In
50

10.54646/bijscit.2023.36 51
the past, the majority of applications did little more
than save data in spreadsheets and databases and then
retrieve it when necessary. At the moment, analytical
applications make use of a broad variety of data
sources with structured, semi-structured, as well as
unstructured data; some examples of which include
emails, photographs, videos, documents in PDF
format, monitoring devices, and audio recordings.
Data storage, data mining, and data analysis are
all made more challenging by the presence of
unstructured data.
c) Velocity: In the context of big data, the word “velocity”
refers to the pace at which new data are generated. The
speed at which new data are generated and processed
will influence how much of the data’s potential can
be realized. What is known as “Big Data Velocity”
is a concept that was developed as a result of the
contributions made by business processes, log files,
networks, social media, sensors, and mobile devices.
There is a rapid flow of information that involves
a significant volume of data. The velocity of data
is particularly high for the banking, healthcare, and
manufacturing sectors.
d) Inconsistency: It may be difficult to efficiently manage
and analyze the data due to the variability that may
arise in the data. This makes it a potential challenge.
Advantages of big data processing
There are several reasons why big data processing is
beneficial:
1. Businesses have the option of incorporating outside
information into decision-making. Due to the
availability of social data gleaned from search engines
and sites such as Facebook and Twitter, organizations
are able to fine-tune their business plans according to
user sentiment and changes in choices.
2. Improved customer service: Conventional means of
gathering input from customers are being phased
out in favor of big data technology. With these new
platforms, the responses received from customers are
studied and assessed with the use of big data and
natural language processing technologies.
3. An early evaluation of any possible risks that may
be associated with the product or service will lead to
preventive actions for the risks.
4. The big data environment allows for the pre-
processing of larger data sets before they are
transferred to the warehouse, which improves the
operational efficiency of the business. The combination
of big data and data warehouses also assists businesses
in offloading data that are needed less often.
Cluster
In a computer cluster, two or more individual computers, also
known as nodes, collaborate with one another to carry out a
specific task. Because of this, it is feasible to distribute huge
tasks that can be done in parallel throughout the nodes that
make up the cluster. Performance is boosted as a result of the
fact that the combined memory and processing capabilities
of each machine may benefit a variety of operations. Since
each individual node in a computer cluster has to be able
to interact with the other nodes in the cluster, the building
of a computer cluster requires the use of an internodes
network. In order to construct a cluster, the nodes must
first be connected via the use of cluster software. A storage
device that is shared across the nodes and/or a storage device
that is local to each node are both potential solutions. It
is common practice to designate at least one of the nodes
as a leader node, which then operates as the entry point
for the cluster. This node could be in charge of delegating
responsibilities to the subordinates and, if that is required,
gathering the results before relaying them to an external
party. Also, the communication between nodes in a cluster
has to be optimized so that latency may be reduced and
bottlenecks can be avoided.
Blockchain technology
Blockchain technology is the term that describes the technical
basis upon which Bitcoin currency is built. Because of this
technology, it is possible to carry out any transaction in
a way that is not governed by any central authority. The
participation of a middleman or broker is not required in
order for it to take place. As it creates records of transactions
that are decentralized, unchangeable, and publicly verifiable,
Blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize a
wide variety of industries.
Blockchains store the data differently from standard
databases, which store the data in rows and columns that
are hash-linked together, while blockchains store the data in
blocks that are cryptographically connected together. Each
new piece of information that is received results in the
creation of a new block in the database. After a block has
been filled with information, the data included inside it are
connected to one another in the order that chronological
events occurred.
While a blockchain may be used to store a wide range of
data types, the use that has proven to be the most successful
to this point is that of a ledger for the recording of financial
transactions. There is not a single person or group in control
of Bitcoin’s use of the blockchain; rather, all users collectively
hold the reins. Blockchain is used to record transactions
related to Bitcoin transactions. With the use of blockchains,
digital information may be saved and distributed, but it
cannot be changed once it has been recorded. Because of this,

52 Archana and Aggarwal
a blockchain may be used as the foundation for immutable
ledgers, which are essentially recordings of transactions
that are incorruptible in any way. Blockchains are often
referred to as “distributed ledger technology” as a direct
consequence of this fact.
Features of blockchain technology
The key points depicting features of blockchain technology
are cited ahead:
a) Immutability is the state of being incapable of
undergoing any kind of change or transformation. This
is an essential component of blockchain that assures
the long-term survival of the technology as it is a
network that cannot be altered and is permanent.
b) Decentralized: As the network is decentralized, there is
not a single person who is in charge of supervising the
infrastructure. This means that security and privacy
are not compromised. Decentralization of the network
is ensured through the use of a dispersed collection
of nodes that are responsible for its management. It
is able to store anything of value, including Bitcoins,
important documents, contracts, and other valuable
digital assets. After then, with the assistance of the
blockchain, you will be able to have direct control
over them by making use of your private key. As a
consequence of this, the general public regains both
control and ownership of the assets as a result of the
decentralized structure.
c) Improved security: In the blockchain, every piece of
data is encrypted and hashed using a new method each
time. This provides an additional layer of protection
against unauthorized access. To put it another way,
the information provided by the network hides the
fundamental characteristics of the data. Mathematical
techniques may be used to any data as an input to
generate various values, but the length of the output
always stays the same. A one-of-a-kind identification is
assigned to each individual piece of data. In the ledger,
each new block is given its own one-of-a-kind hash and
also includes the hash of the block that came before it.
A fresh set of hash IDs will be generated in the event
that the data are altered in any way. And even that is
a bit of a stretch, to say the least. The user is going to
need both a private key and a public key in order to get
access to the data.
d) Hashing cannot be undone in any case. Hashing is
a very complicated process, and it is not feasible to
modify or undo it in any way. Nobody will ever be able
to take a public key and turn it into a private key.
e) Distributed ledger: With a public ledger, this
information is often accessible to anybody who is
a member of the general public. There is nowhere
to run since everything is out in the open. There
is, however, an exception to this general rule for
blockchains that are either private or federated.
In spite of this, a significant number of users are
able to see the ledger at any one time under these
circumstances. As a consequence of this, the ledger
that represents the network is continually updated by
everyone else who is using the system. This distributed
the processing power among the several machines in
order to get a more favorable outcome.
f) Consensus: The techniques used to reach consensus
are essential to the operation of any blockchain. The
intelligent design of this architecture is based on
consensus algorithms, which serve as its foundation.
Every blockchain has to have a consensus in order
to function properly. The network’s ability to reach a
consensus is directly responsible for the credibility of
the network. The nodes that make up a network may
not have much confidence in one another, but they
could have faith in the algorithms that drive it. As a
consequence of this, the blockchain is improved by
every decision that is taken on the network. Using the
blockchain provides this as one of its many benefits.
g) Quicker settlement: The processing of transactions
via traditional banking systems may often take
a very lengthy period. But, with the assistance
of blockchains and other contemporary systems,
monetary transactions may be completed in a shorter
amount of time, saving the user important time.
Role of blockchain in big data
The fact that everything that takes place on a blockchain is
encrypted makes it capable of providing the greatest possible
degree of security. In a similar fashion, the data that are saved
on the blockchain cannot be changed. To be on the safe side,
the file signatures of all of the nodes in the network may be
checked across all of the ledgers in the network to make sure
that they have not been altered. If the record is modified in
any way, the signature will no longer be valid.
The applications of big data and blockchain are mutually
beneficial. Big data technologies can handle any data,
regardless of its variety, velocity, or volume. Blockchain
applications simplify operations in any industry. The
traditional information processing architecture and business
transaction processing have been rendered obsolete as big
data and blockchain technologies have grown over the last
several years. This has made it possible to abandon these
processes. It is necessary for big data to have processing
power that is capable of handling big data’s processing
capacity; conversely, big data requires processing power that
is capable of handling the complexity of blockchain and
its fast growth.

10.54646/bijscit.2023.36 53
FIGURE 1 | Research methodology.
This sheds light on several implementations of blockchain
technology in big data among various industries:
1. Accelerating the financial services sector, the
combination of blockchain technology and large
amounts of data held by financial institutions will
make it possible to estimate risk and spot suspicious
trends in real time. Making use of blockchain
technology as a way of conducting transactions would
assist to safeguard banks and their clients from fraud,
speed up the process of transactions, and minimize
the cost of transferring money between accounts. For
instance, in the most recent few years, in order to
streamline the process of moving money from one
bank account to another using technology known as
blockchain, an association consisting of 47 Japanese
banks joined a blockchain business known as Ripple.
The goal here is to carry out real-time transfers while
minimizing associated costs. The cost of conventional
real-time transactions is high because of the possibility
of risk factors such as double spending, which may be
avoided with blockchain technology.
2. Security in businesses other than banking: Businesses
in healthcare, public administration, and other
areas have begun adopting blockchain technology
to manage data and thwart hacking attempts and
avoid data breaches.
3. Monitoring of the supply chain: A blockchain is
employed to maintain tabs on the commodities that
make up the supply chain, and a mobile app is utilized
to monitor the locations of these commodities as they
move. Walmart is a wonderful example of this as it uses
the technology of blockchains to enhance food safety
by allowing for more accurate monitoring of items
from the farm to the shop shelf. Users have the ability
to get credible information on the provenance of their
food while using this strategy (Figure 1).
Conclusion
The proposed research is supposed to be capable to resolve
the security issue in big data using blockchain. This research
would provide a solution to confirm the impact of blockchain
on big data security. The goal of the proposed work is to
make use of big data with blockchain applicable in real-
life scenario. The proposed work offers a broad range of
options and flexibility. Improved precision and efficiency are
expected as a result of this investigation. The proposed work
provides a wide range of possibilities and adaptability.
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