A Blockchain-based Model for Securing IoT Transactions in a Healthcare Environment

Abstract

A blockchain is a data structure that is implemented as a distrusted database or digital ledger. The transactions are saved to a block of transactions that is attached in turn to the blockchain after the verification process, in which each block in the chain contains a hash signature of the previous block in addition to the hash signature of the block itself. The blocks on the blockchain are chained as an immutable list using the proof-of-work procedure, where there is no way to alter or delete an attached block due to the strict security policy used for structuring the chain of blocks. Each node holds a copy of the blockchain in which the miners take the responsibility of verifying and attaching blocks to the blockchain. The Ethereum blockchain introduced the smart contract which holds logic to be processed once the contract is established. These smart contracts are developed via the Solidity programming language. This proposed paper exploits the Ethereum blockchain along with smart contracts as the base technology for implementing the proposed blockchain-based model. The paper aims to develop a multilayered blockchain-based model, in which the blockchain model is set up on a private blockchain Ethereum network where the nodes share the electronic medical records (EMR) among the P2P (peer-to-peer) network that will be used to secure the IoT medical transactions. Solidity smart contract, introduced by Ethereum, is deployed to handle the EMR "open-query-transfer" operations on the private network, whereas the miners are responsible to validate the transactions. Finally, the research conducts a performance analysis of the Ethereum network using the Ethereum Caliper, considering several performance factors, which are: Maximum Latency, Minimum Latency, Average Latency, and Throughput.

Blockchain-IoT Healthcare Applications and Trends: A Review

“…The application type in [2] is the security of medical records and remote patient monitoring by using a consortium blockchain. While the authors in [13] and [14] presented the application type of medical record deposits using only a private blockchain, the authors in [3], [4], [5], [8], and [12] presented the application type of medical record security and remote patient monitoring using a private blockchain. On the other hand, the application type in [17] is the security of medical records using a public blockchain, the application type in [18] is medical image retrieval with privacy protection using a public blockchain, and the application type in [19] is remote patient monitoring and diabetic disease prediction using a public blockchain.…”

“…In [13], the application type was the security of medical records, using Ethereum and Smart Contract blockchain technologies. In [14], the application type was the security of medical records using Ethereum, distributed ledgers, and innovative contract blockchain technologies. In [15], the application type was Diabetic-Cardio Disease Prediction in Fog Computing, using Distributed ledger, Transparency, and Consensus algorithm blockchain technologies.…”

“…The programming language Solidity is used to create highly secure smart contracts that manage operation communications between nodes on the one side and IoT devices and conventional PC devices on the other [14].…”

“…In [12] and [37], the application type was the security of medical records and remote patient monitoring using solidity software languages. In [13] and [14], the application type was the security of medical records using solidity software languages. In [16], the application type was diabetic-cardio disease prediction, using solidity software languages.…”

“…The advanced certified tool "Caliper" is used to assess the effectiveness and performance of smart contracts by evaluating their fundamental operations: Query, Open, and Transfer [14].…”