Jun 2017: Using the Blockchain to Secure Provenance Meta-Data

Provenance meta-data, also known as data pedigree, is a set of data that explains how information was derived. A number of provenance systems exist. They are useful for finding the sources of errors; allowing system users to have confidence in the materials; and potentially providing legal justification for decisions. An open issue has been how to properly secure this meta-data, in a manner that extends beyond trusting the information providers. Blockchain technology provides a universally accessible ledger of transactions that is the basis of the current generation of crypto-currencies. The blockchain structure provides guarantees of system integrity that make it exceedingly difficult for malicious insiders to tamper with data. Our project adapts blockchain concepts to securing provenance meta-data. The talk we present will include the following topics:

* A brief survey of provenance systems that discusses security needs;
* The presentation of three illustrative use-cases that motivate the development of a provenance security framework;
* A short tutorial on the structure of the blockchain;
A brief overview of the current generation of crypto-currencies;
* An explanation of what aspects of crypto-currencies are ill-suited to our application;
* An overview of our system architecture, emphasizing two important points:
* Our ability to integrate existing tools, and
* The portions of the system that we are developing;
* A discussion of our current status; and
Plans for the next phase.

This talk is presented by Dr. Richard Brooks and Dr. Tony Skjellum.