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Blockchain and Distributed Systems
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Blockchain and Distributed Systems

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Computing and Artificial Intelligence".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2025) | Viewed by 13734

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Constantinos Halkiopoulos

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Guest Editor
Department of Management Science and Technology, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
Interests: artificial intelligence; data mining; big data; expert systems; computational cognitive science; psychometrics; decision making
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Yannis C. Stamatiou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Business Administration, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
Interests: cryptography; trust and privacy in digital systems; cybersecurity; algorithmic decision-making; risk modeling; fintech security and governance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Hera Antonopoulou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Management Science and Technology, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
Interests: information systems; computational mathematics; cryptography; distributed database systems; privacy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Blockchain technology has emerged as a disruptive technology and economic growth opportunity, offering novel solutions to decentralized data management, secure transactions, and consensus mechanisms suitable for trustless environments of communicating agents. Concurrently, distributed systems continue to evolve, providing scalable and fault-tolerant architectures for various applications. This Special Issue aims to explore recent advancements, challenges, and future directions in the intersection of blockchain and distributed systems.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

  1. Blockchain consensus mechanisms;
  2. Distributed ledger technologies;
  3. Smart contracts and decentralized applications (DApps);
  4. Scalability and performance improvements in blockchain systems;
  5. Interoperability and compatibility among different blockchain platforms;
  6. Privacy, security, and anonymity in blockchain systems;
  7. Applications of blockchain in IoT, healthcare, supply chains, etc.;
  8. Distributed consensus algorithms;
  9. Peer-to-peer network protocols;
  10. Fault tolerance and resilience in distributed systems.

We welcome contributions from researchers, academics, and practitioners in the field of blockchain and distributed systems. Join us in exploring the latest developments and innovations shaping the future of decentralized technologies.

Dr. Constantinos Halkiopoulos
Prof. Dr. Yannis C. Stamatiou
Prof. Dr. Hera Antonopoulou
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • blockchain
  • distributed ledger technology (DLT)
  • decentralized systems
  • distributed consensus mechanisms
  • smart contracts
  • distributed systems
  • peer-to-peer communication
  • scalability
  • security
  • privacy
  • cryptography
  • decentralized applications (DApps)
  • permissioned vs. permissionless blockchains
  • crypto economics
  • tokenization
  • distributed database systems
  • trust models

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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34 pages, 761 KB  
Article
GDPR-Compliant Academic Certification via Blockchain: Legal and Technical Validation of the GAVIN Project
by Alvaro Gómez Vieites, Christian Delgado-von-Eitzen and Diego Estévez Garcia
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(16), 9191; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15169191 - 21 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1331
Abstract
For years, combining the immutability associated with blockchain technology with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been considered a practically unsolvable conflict due to the very nature of blockchain and the GDPR. This article presents the GAVIN project (GDPR-Compliant Blockchain-Based [...] Read more.
For years, combining the immutability associated with blockchain technology with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been considered a practically unsolvable conflict due to the very nature of blockchain and the GDPR. This article presents the GAVIN project (GDPR-Compliant Blockchain-Based Architecture for Universal Learning, Education and Training Information Management), a pioneering initiative that overcomes this challenge through an innovative technical and legal approach to trusted digital academic certification. Developed by atlanTTic (University of Vigo) and funded by the European Union, GAVIN proposes a scalable architecture that combines off-chain storage, encrypted Hash-Based Message Authentication Code (HMAC) anonymization, access notarization, and blockchain-based access control. The legal validation of the working prototype under development demonstrates that blockchain decentralization is compatible with GDPR compliance. The model is presented as a replicable reference for institutions wishing to leverage distributed ledger technologies without compromising personal data protection. This paper details the legal design, technical architecture, and compliance mechanisms, offering a practical framework for implementing decentralized systems with privacy by design. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Blockchain and Distributed Systems)
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36 pages, 1010 KB  
Article
SIBERIA: A Self-Sovereign Identity and Multi-Factor Authentication Framework for Industrial Access
by Daniel Paredes-García, José Álvaro Fernández-Carrasco, Jon Ander Medina López, Juan Camilo Vasquez-Correa, Imanol Jericó Yoldi, Santiago Andrés Moreno-Acevedo, Ander González-Docasal, Haritz Arzelus Irazusta, Aitor Álvarez Muniain and Yeray de Diego Loinaz
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(15), 8589; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15158589 - 2 Aug 2025
Viewed by 633
Abstract
The growing need for secure and privacy-preserving identity management in industrial environments has exposed the limitations of traditional, centralized authentication systems. In this context, SIBERIA was developed as a modular solution that empowers users to control their own digital identities, while ensuring robust [...] Read more.
The growing need for secure and privacy-preserving identity management in industrial environments has exposed the limitations of traditional, centralized authentication systems. In this context, SIBERIA was developed as a modular solution that empowers users to control their own digital identities, while ensuring robust protection of critical services. The system is designed in alignment with European standards and regulations, including EBSI, eIDAS 2.0, and the GDPR. SIBERIA integrates a Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) framework with a decentralized blockchain-based infrastructure for the issuance and verification of Verifiable Credentials (VCs). It incorporates multi-factor authentication by combining a voice biometric module, enhanced with spoofing-aware techniques to detect synthetic or replayed audio, and a behavioral biometrics module that provides continuous authentication by monitoring user interaction patterns. The system enables secure and user-centric identity management in industrial contexts, ensuring high resistance to impersonation and credential theft while maintaining regulatory compliance. SIBERIA demonstrates that it is possible to achieve both strong security and user autonomy in digital identity systems by leveraging decentralized technologies and advanced biometric verification methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Blockchain and Distributed Systems)
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Review

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46 pages, 7784 KB  
Review
Enhancing Decentralized Decision-Making with Big Data and Blockchain Technology: A Comprehensive Review
by Leonidas Theodorakopoulos, Alexandra Theodoropoulou and Constantinos Halkiopoulos
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(16), 7007; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14167007 - 9 Aug 2024
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 10707
Abstract
Big data and blockchain technology are coming together to revolutionize how decisions are made in a decentralized way across various industries. This review looks at how these technologies, along with distributed systems, can improve data security, transparency, and real-time processing, making decision-making more [...] Read more.
Big data and blockchain technology are coming together to revolutionize how decisions are made in a decentralized way across various industries. This review looks at how these technologies, along with distributed systems, can improve data security, transparency, and real-time processing, making decision-making more efficient and informed. The integration enhances data security with unchangeable records, increases transparency and traceability, and supports real-time data analysis. However, there are challenges to overcome, including scalability, data privacy, interoperability, regulatory compliance, and high costs. By examining case studies such as Estonia’s healthcare system, IBM and Walmart’s Food Trust, and the Brooklyn Microgrid project, we explore the practical applications and benefits of combining big data with blockchain. Despite these hurdles, the review finds that the ongoing advancements and innovative solutions in these technologies offer significant promise. They are set to drive the adoption and effectiveness of decentralized decision-making, ultimately leading to better efficiency and outcomes across multiple sectors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Blockchain and Distributed Systems)
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