Search Results (149)

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

Smart contracts and cryptocurrency wallets are foundational components of decentralized applications (dApps) on blockchain platforms such as Ethereum. While these technologies enable secure, transparent, and automated transactions, their integration also introduces complex security challenges. This study presents a security-oriented analysis of smart contract and wallet integration, focusing on BlockScribe—a decentralized Ethereum-based application for digital record certification. We systematically identify and categorize security risks arising from the interaction between wallet interfaces and smart contract logic. In particular, we analyze how user authorization flows, transaction design, and contract modularity affect the security posture of the entire dApp. To support our findings, we conduct an empirical evaluation using static analysis tools and formal verification methods, examining both contract-level vulnerabilities and integration-level flaws. Our results highlight several overlooked attack surfaces in wallet–contract communication patterns, including reentrancy amplification, permission mismanagement, and transaction ordering issues. We further discuss implications for secure dApp development and propose mitigation strategies that improve the robustness of wallet–contract ecosystems. This case study contributes to a deeper understanding of integration-layer vulnerabilities in blockchain-based systems and offers practical guidance for developers and auditors aiming to strengthen smart contract security. Full article

In ecotoxicological risk assessment, current methods for measuring the transfer and bioavailability of organic pollutants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in bioindicators are often destructive and environmentally unfriendly. These limitations are especially problematic when only small amounts of biological material are available. Here, we present a novel, high-throughput method combining laser-induced UV fluorescence spectroscopy (UV-LIF) and solid-phase spectroscopy (SPS) for rapid, in situ quantification of PAHs in land snails—a key bioindicator species. Using dual excitation wavelengths (266 nm and 355 nm), our method reliably detected pyrene and fluoranthene in snails exposed to varying concentrations, demonstrating clear dose-responses and inter-individual differences in bioaccumulation. The analysis time per sample was under four minutes. This approach allows simultaneous measurement of internal contaminant levels and health biomarkers in individual organisms and aligns with green chemistry principles. These findings establish a new, scalable tool for routine assessment of PAH transfer and bioavailability in diverse ecosystems. Full article

The use of Verifiable Credentials under the new eIDAS Regulation introduces privacy concerns, particularly during revocation status checks. This paper proposes a privacy-preserving revocation mechanism tailored to the European Digital Identity Wallet and its Architecture and Reference Framework. Our method publishes a daily randomized revocation list as a cascaded Bloom filter, enhancing unlinkability by randomizing revocation indexes derived from ARF guidelines. The implementation extends open-source components developed by the European Committee. This work demonstrates a practical, privacy-centric approach to revocation in digital identity systems, supporting the advancement of privacy-preserving technologies. Full article

This study uses national data to contribute to ongoing discussions regarding social media’s role in influencing investors in the digital economy. Grounded in social network theory, social media engagement was examined for its influence on FinTech usage, specifically cryptocurrency investments, mobile trading applications, and financial podcasts. Results showed a significant relationship between social media use for investment decisions and the embrace of FinTech. Individuals who actively engage with social media for this purpose had higher odds of investing in cryptocurrency and a higher likelihood of using both mobile trading applications and financial podcasts. However, these results were not consistent across all platforms amongst social media users. Our findings show that social media platforms enable peer influence and recommendations through networks that shape financial decisions and behaviors. FinTech firms can strategically harness social ties and the inherent information flows within social networks to broaden their reach and impact in the financial services landscape. Full article

This paper examines the concepts, technologies, and services of various types of electronic wallets and compares and analyzes their security features. Additionally, it presents specialized security threats through cases of breaches of key information that need to be managed according to the type of electronic wallet. One of the main contributions of this paper is that, unlike existing studies, it provides explanations and discussions encompassing both traditional e-wallets and cryptocurrency-based wallets. It identifies and insightfully examines the functions of electronic wallets according to the type of digital asset while also incorporating scenario-based quantitative analysis to assess how effectively certain security requirements mitigate identified risks. In particular, the classification of wallet types in this paper is based on an analysis of the existing literature that has studied the services, functionality, and security of each wallet. Through this, we suggest a future direction for universal wallets by highlighting critical security requirements that may arise when identity (ID), payment, and cryptocurrency services converge in a single interface. Rather than proposing an exhaustive universal wallet architecture, this paper focuses on key technical elements that future e-wallet environments should consider to withstand the multifaceted threat landscape posed by integrated digital asset management. Full article

In pursuit of a higher-quality post-pandemic economic recovery, Chinese authorities have accelerated the development of the e-CNY. This study posits that the e-CNY distinguishes itself from other payment instruments through its controlled anonymity, programmability, and non-interest-bearing attributes. By analyzing patents filed by the Digital Currency Research Institute of the People’s Bank of China between 2016 and 2023, the paper elucidates potential implementation strategies for these distinctive features. The findings suggest that the e-CNY may facilitate a zero-interest accrual model within the prevailing legal framework. Restricted authority access and the anonymity ensured by encrypted data further allow users to maintain a high degree of confidentiality. Additionally, conditional automatic transfers—a prominent function in the e-CNY’s smart contracts—mirror traditional automatic transfers for directed fund utilization without impeding the circulation of fiat currency. The People’s Bank of China has sought to thoughtfully integrate these functionalities into its Central Bank Digital Currency framework, aiming to minimize potential conflicts with existing legal standards. Instead of relying solely on extensive legislative revisions, China’s experience illustrates how deliberate and incremental CBDC design choices can reconcile regulatory compliance with innovative technological advancements. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated several challenges, prompting the Indonesian government to enact rules aimed at minimizing direct contact to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, which has also affected transactional activities. Transactions conducted using a digital wallet represent a technological advancement that facilitates a cashless society lifestyle. Bank Indonesia established the Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) as a QR Code standard for digital payments using Electronic Money-Based (EU) servers, electronic wallets, or Mobile Banking. This study aims to identify the elements that affect consumer willingness to convert from cash payments to the QRIS during the COVID-19 epidemic. This study collected data through an online survey, distributing a 17-item questionnaire to QRIS users, yielding 568 valid responses. This research used a modified version of the Push-Pull-Mooring theory and an adaptation of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) model, concentrating on consumers’ intentions to transition from cash payments to QRIS utilization. This study employed the Hybrid SEM-ANN methodology with the SmartPLS and IBM SPSS Statistics 27 applications for data analysis. This investigation had 11 hypotheses, of which 4 were accepted. The findings indicated that alternative attractiveness, trust, critical mass, and traditional payment habits significantly influenced the intention to transition from cash payments to QRIS payments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Full article

The implementation of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) faces significant challenges in achieving the same level of anonymity and convenience in offline transactions as cash. This limitation imposes considerable constraints on the development and widespread adoption of CBDCs. Unlike cash, digital currencies, similar to other electronic payment methods, necessitate internet or other network connectivity to verify payment eligibility. This study proposes a secure offline payment model for CBDCs that operates independently of internet or network connections by utilizing a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) to enhance the security of digital currency transactions. Additionally, the monotonic counter, the basic component of the TPM, is integrated into this model to prevent double spending in a completely offline environment. Our research presents a protocol model that combines these easily implementable technologies to facilitate the efficient processing of transactions in CBDCs entirely offline. However, it is crucial to acknowledge the security implications associated with the TPMs and near-field communications upon which this protocol relies. Full article

Background: The optimal duration of antibiotic treatment for extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) bloodstream infections (BSI) in intensive care unit (ICU) is not established. We aim to evaluate the frequency and clinical outcomesof a short appropriate antibiotic treatment (≤7 days) (SAT) for ESBL-E BSI acquired in the ICU. We specifically assessed the rate of ESBL-E BSI relapse, and in-ICU mortality. Method: All patients who acquired ESBL-E BSI in three ICU in Northern France between January 2011 and June 2022 were included in a multicenter retrospective cohort study. The factors associated with prescribing short (SAT, ≤7 days) versus long (LAT, >7 days) antibiotic treatment were analyzed. To evaluate the impact of SAT on mortality in the ICU, an estimation was applied using a Cox model with a time-dependent co-variable adjusted by inverse weighting of the propensity score. Results: In total, 379 patients were included. The proportion of patients receiving a SAT was 40% in the entire cohort and 25% in survivors beyond 7 days. In bivariate analysis, the factors associated with prescribing a SAT in survivors were shorter pre-bacteremia ICU stay (p = 0.005), lower proportion of chronic renal failure history (p = 0.034), cancer (p = 0.042), or transplantation (p = 0.025), less frequent exposure to carbapenem within 3 months (p = 0.015). There was a higher proportion of septic shock (p = 0.017) or bacteremia secondary to pneumonia (p = 0.003) in the group of survivors receiving a LAT. After adjustment, no difference in survival was found between the two groups (HR: 1.65, 95%CI: 0.91–3.00, p = 0.10). Conclusion: In our cohort, one quarter of patients with ESBL-E bacteremia acquired in the ICU surviving beyond 7 days were treated with a SAT. SAT did not appear to affect survival. Patients who could benefit from a SAT need to be better identified. Full article

In recent years, the rapid growth of cryptocurrency markets has highlighted the urgent need for advanced security solutions capable of addressing a spectrum of unique threats, from phishing and wallet hacks to complex blockchain vulnerabilities. This paper presents a comprehensive approach to fortifying cryptocurrency systems by harnessing the structural symmetry inherent in transactional patterns. By leveraging local large language models (LLMs), embeddings, and vector databases, we develop an intelligent and scalable security expert system that exploits symmetry-based anomaly detection to enhance threat identification. Cryptocurrency networks face increasing threats from sophisticated attacks that often exploit asymmetric vulnerabilities. To counteract these risks, we propose a novel security expert system that integrates symmetry-aware analysis through LLMs and advanced embedding techniques. Our system efficiently captures symmetrical transaction patterns, enabling robust detection of anomalies and threats while preserving structural integrity. By integrating a modular framework with LangChain and a vector database (Chroma DB), we achieve improved accuracy, recall, and precision by leveraging the symmetry of transaction distributions and behavioral patterns. This work sets a new benchmark for LLM-driven cybersecurity solutions, offering a scalable and adaptive approach to reinforcing the security symmetry in cryptocurrency systems. The proposed expert system was evaluated using a benchmark dataset of cryptocurrency transactions, including real-world threat scenarios involving phishing, fraudulent transactions, and blockchain anomalies. The system achieved an accuracy of 92%, a precision of 89%, and a recall of 93%, demonstrating a 10% improvement over existing security frameworks. Compared to traditional rule-based and machine learning-based detection methods, our approach significantly enhances real-time threat detection while reducing false positives. The integration of LLMs with embeddings and vector retrieval enables more efficient contextual anomaly detection, setting a new benchmark for AI-driven security solutions in the cryptocurrency domain. Full article

Crypto wallets store and protect the private keys needed to sign transactions for crypto currencies; they are secured by multi-factor authentication schemes. However, the loss of a wallet, or a dysfunctional factor of authentication, can be catastrophic, as the keys are then lost as well as the crypto currencies. Such difficult tradeoffs between the protection of the private keys and factors of authentication that are easy to use are also present in public key infrastructures, banking cards, smartphones and smartcards. In this paper, we present protocols based on novel challenge–response pair mechanisms that protect private keys, while using factors of authentication that can be lost or misplaced without negative consequences. Examples of factors that are analyzed include passwords, tokens, wearable devices, biometry, and blockchain-based non-fungible tokens. In normal operations, the terminal device uses all factors of authentication to retrieve an ephemeral key, decrypt the private key, and finally sign a transaction. With our solution, users can download the software stack into multiple terminal devices, turning all of them into backups. We present a zero-knowledge multi-factor authentication scheme allowing the secure recovery of private keys when one of the factors is lost, such as the token. The challenge–response pair mechanisms also enable a novel key pair generation protocol in which private keys can be kept secret by the user, while a Keystore can securely authenticate the user and transmit the public key to a distributed network. The standardized LWE post-quantum cryptographic CRYSTALS Dilithium protocol was selected in the experimental section. Full article

Aiming to address the shortcomings of traditional blockchain technologies, characterized by high storage redundancy and low transaction query efficiency, we propose a lightweight sender-based blockchain architecture (LSB). In this architecture, the linkage between blocks is associated with the user initiating the transaction, and the hash of the newly generated block is recorded in the user’s wallet, thereby facilitating transaction retrieval. Each user node must store only the blocks that pertain to it, significantly reducing storage costs. To ensure the normal operation of the system, the Delegated Proof of Stake based on Reputation and PBFT (RP-DPoS) consensus algorithm is employed, establishing a reputation model to select honest and reliable nodes for consensus participation while utilizing the Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT) algorithm to verify blocks. The experimental results demonstrate that LSB reduces storage overhead while enhancing the efficiency of querying and verifying transactions. Moreover, in terms of security, it decreases the likelihood of malicious nodes being designated as agent nodes, thereby increasing the chances of honest nodes being selected for consensus participation. Full article

According to the latest data from CryptoSlam, as of November 2024, NFT sales have approached USD 7.43 billion, with trading profits exceeding USD 33.303 million. In the buyer–seller market, the potential demand for NFT transactions continues to grow, leading to rapid development in the NFT market and giving rise to various issues, such as price manipulation, counterfeit products, hacking of investment platforms, identity verification errors, data leaks, and wallet security failures, all of which have caused significant financial losses for investors. Currently, the NFT investment market faces challenges such as legal uncertainty, information security, and high price volatility due to speculation. This study conducted expert interviews and adopted a two-stage research methodology to analyze the most common risk factors when selecting NFT investments. It employed the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and the Analytic Network Process (ANP) to explore risk factors such as legal issues, security concerns, speculation, and price volatility, aiming to understand how these factors influence investors in choosing the most suitable NFT investment platform. The survey was conducted between February and June 2023, targeting professionals and scholars with over 10 years of experience in the financial market or financial research, with a total of 13 participants. The empirical results revealed that speculation had the greatest impact compared to legal issues, security concerns, and NFT price volatility. Speculation and price volatility directly influenced other risk factors, potentially increasing the risks faced by NFT investment platforms. In contrast, legal and security issues had less influence on other factors and were more affected by them, indicating a relatively lower likelihood of occurrence. Thus, investors must be cautious of short-term speculation, particularly when dealing with rare NFTs. The best approach is to set an exit price to minimize potential losses if the investment does not proceed as planned. Full article

Blockchain wallets are essential interfaces for managing digital assets and authorising transactions within blockchain systems. However, typical blockchain wallets often encounter performance, privacy and cost issues when utilising multi-signature schemes and face security vulnerabilities with single-signature methods. Additionally, while granting users complete control, non-custodial wallets introduce technical complexities and security risks. While custodial wallets can mitigate some of these challenges, they are primary targets for attacks due to the pooling of customer funds. To address these limitations, we propose a chain-agnostic Multi-Party Computation Threshold Signature Scheme (MPC-TSS) shared-custodial wallet with securely distributed key management and recovery. We apply this solution to create a wallet design for wealth managers and their clients, consolidating the management and access of multiple cryptocurrency tokens and services into a single application interface. Full article