Data protection on the internet has always been a subject that sets the web abuzz: not a day goes by without the media telling us about stolen bank details or e-commerce giants being hacked. That is why researchers are now focusing on data encryption and security technologies such as blockchain.
What is blockchain?
It is a technology for storing and transmitting transparent, secure information without any central control body. It works from an algorithm that verifies each piece of data; once validated, the data is grouped into a block and transmitted across the network.
How is blockchain used?
The best-known use of blockchain is without doubt Bitcoin: an encrypted and theoretically anonymous currency. This technology is also used by certain banks to transfer money, and even by insurers to streamline contract-change processes and verify their authenticity.
IoT at the heart of blockchain?
It is estimated that within five years, the creation of IoT projects linked to blockchain will be on the rise. Data security problems will decline. For example, this technology could be used in a home, linking all of its connected objects together; that would make it possible to switch off a device consuming too much electricity in order to save money. The same system could also be implemented in a car, which would then be able to pay tolls or car parks by itself.
A revolution already under way
To guarantee the transparency and security of its voting system, the “Nous citoyens” party used blockchain during one of its internal elections.
This technology made it possible to create a secure vote that can easily be verified but cannot under any circumstances be modified by the administrator or anyone else. A revolutionary technique that will help countries whose elections are exposed to fraud.
In addition to future projects, there is already talk of a blockchain smartphone developed by an Israeli start-up: the Finney, due out in 2019. This smartphone will have the distinctive feature of having its own cryptocurrency for exchanging data between devices or carrying out transactions. It will be built on the ShieldOS operating system, a “fork” of Android. Apple, for its part, has even announced that it wants to create its own cryptocurrency for its App Store.
As you will have gathered, blockchain at the heart of our daily lives is just around the corner.
