Application of dynamic access control on blockchain

Application of dynamic access control on blockchain

What are functions? What role does it play in a feature-based access control system?

How can blockchain technology enhance the security of feature-based access control systems?

Explain the Create Feature operation and its significance in managing object access permissions.

What is the difference between the "Authorize Function" operation and the "Invoke Function" operation?

Describe what the purpose of the Undo feature action is and explain how it solves the limitation problem.

In the context of capability-based access control, explain the roles of "sender", "target" and "object".

How are smart contracts used to manage functionality and access control on the blockchain?

Explain the role of the storage manager in a feature-based access control system.

What do hashes provide in a feature-based access control system?

Discuss the importance of success and error messages in a feature-based access control system.

Answers to short answer questions

A capability is a secure object reference that grants a set of permissions or access to a specific object. In a capability-based access control system, users must have valid capabilities to interact with objects.

Blockchain enhances security by providing tamper-proof and immutable records of transactions. This record acts as an audit log, making functional operations traceable and forgery-proof.

The Create Capabilities operation establishes the initial capabilities for the sender and object. It establishes ownership and allows the sender to grant access to other users.

"Authorized functions" allow the sender to propagate a copy of the function and its associated permissions to the target user. In contrast, the Invoke Function action allows users to access and interact with objects using the capabilities they have, if their permissions allow this.

The "Revoke Capabilities" action removes access by removing previously granted capabilities from the target user. It solves the restriction problem and ensures that access is revoked even if the access has propagated beyond the sender's knowledge.

The "sender" is the user or process that initiates the function's operation. A "target" receives a function from the sender or is being revoked, while an "object" is the resource or data to which the function grants access.

Smart contracts are self-executing codes stored on the blockchain that define the rules and logic that govern and execute functional operations. They ensure that access control policies are enforced in a secure and tamper-proof manner.

The storage manager is responsible for persisting functionality on the blockchain. It maintains the functional database and tracks all functional operations, ensuring data integrity and consistency.

A transaction’s hash acts as its unique identifier and provides a tamper-proof reference to its content and timestamp on the blockchain. It allows verification and audit function operations.

Success messages indicate that the feature operation completed successfully, while error messages indicate that a problem occurred, such as insufficient permissions or that the feature does not exist. These messages provide feedback on the results of the operation and support troubleshooting and auditing.

Glossary

Term Definition Function A secure object reference that grants a set of permissions or access to a specific object. Blockchain is a distributed, immutable ledger that records transactions and ensures data integrity. Smart contracts are self-executing codes stored on the blockchain that define the rules and logic for managing and executing functional operations. The sender is the user or process that initiated the function operation. Target The user or process that receives the functionality from the sender or the revoked functionality. Object capabilities grant access to resources or data. The storage manager is the component responsible for persisting functionality on the blockchain. A unique identifier for a hashed transaction, providing a tamper-proof reference to its content and timestamp. A success message indicates feedback that the function operation completed successfully. Error messages indicate feedback that problems occurred during function operation. The restriction problem refers to a challenge in feature-based systems where restricting the propagation of features and their associated access rights can be difficult. Access Control A security practice that controls who or what can access and use a resource or system. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) An access control model that grants access based on a user's role. Decentralized identity An approach that allows an individual or entity to control their identity data without relying on a central authority. Data Sovereignty The concept of control and autonomy an individual or entity has over their personal data. The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of physical devices connected to each other via the Internet, capable of collecting and exchanging data.