Recent innovations have created significant developments in data storage and management. These new technologies now allow for greater security in databases and other applications. Decentralized Computing Using Blockchain Technologies and Smart Contracts: Emerging Research and Opportunities is a concise and informative source of academic research on the latest developments in block chain innovation and their application in contractual agreements. Highlighting pivotal discussions on topics such as cryptography, programming techniques, and decentralized computing, this book is an ideal publication for researchers, academics, professionals, students, and practitioners seeking content on utilizing block chains with smart contracts.

The book focuses on the power of business blockchain. It gives an overview of blockchain in traditional business, marketing, accounting and business intelligence. The book provides a detailed working knowedge of blockchain, user cases of blockchain in business, cryptocurrency and Initial Coin Offering(ICO) along with the risks associated with them. The book also covers the detailed study of decentralization, mining, consensus, smart contracts, concepts and working of distributed ledgers and hyper ledgers as well as many other important concepts. It also details the security and privacy aspects of blockchain. The book is beneficial for readers who are preparing for their business careers, those who are working with small scale businesses and startups, and helpful for business executives, managers, entrepreneurs, bankers, government officials and legal professionals who are looking to blockchain for secure financial transactions. The book will also be beneficial for researchers and students who want to study the latest developments of blockchain.

​This book provides the reader with the most up-to-date knowledge of blockchain in mainstream areas of security, trust, and privacy in the decentralized domain, which is timely and essential (this is due to the fact that the distributed and P2P applications is increasing day-by-day, and the attackers adopt new mechanisms to threaten the security and privacy of the users in those environments). This book also provides the technical information regarding blockchain-oriented software, applications, and tools required for the researcher and developer experts in both computing and software engineering to provide solutions and automated systems against current security, trust and privacy issues in the cyberspace. Cybersecurity, trust and privacy (CTP) are pressing needs for governments, businesses, and individuals, receiving the utmost priority for enforcement and improvement in almost any societies around the globe. Rapid advances, on the other hand, are being made in emerging blockchain technology with broadly diverse applications that promise to better meet business and individual needs. Blockchain as a promising infrastructural technology seems to have the potential to be leveraged in different aspects of cybersecurity promoting decentralized cyberinfrastructure. Blockchain characteristics such as decentralization, verifiability and immutability may revolve current cybersecurity mechanisms for ensuring the authenticity, reliability, and integrity of data. Almost any article on the blockchain points out that the cybersecurity (and its derivatives) could be revitalized if it is supported by blockchain technology. Yet, little is known about factors related to decisions to adopt this technology, and how it can systemically be put into use to remedy current CTP’s issues in the digital world. Topics of interest for this book include but not limited to: Blockchain-based authentication, authorization and accounting mechanisms Applications of blockchain technologies in digital forensic and threat hunting Blockchain-based threat intelligence and threat analytics techniques Formal specification of smart contracts Automated tools for outsmarting smart contracts Security and privacy aspects of blockchain technologies Vulnerabilities of smart contracts Blockchain for securing cyber infrastructure and internet of things networks Blockchain-based cybersecurity education systems This book provides information for security and privacy experts in all the areas of blockchain, cryptocurrency, cybersecurity, forensics, smart contracts, computer systems, computer networks, software engineering, applied artificial intelligence for computer security experts, big data analysts, and decentralized systems. Researchers, scientists and advanced level students working in computer systems, computer networks, artificial intelligence, big data will find this book useful as well.

This Handbook presents a comprehensive and rigorous overview of the state-of-the-art on Smart Cities. It provides the reader with an authoritative, exhaustive one-stop reference on how the field has evolved and where the current and future challenges lie. From the foundations to the many overlapping dimensions (human, energy, technology, data, institutions, ethics etc.), each chapter is written by international experts and amply illustrated with figures and tables with an emphasis on current research. The Handbook is an invaluable desk reference for researchers in a wide variety of fields, not only smart cities specialists but also by scientists and policy-makers in related disciplines that are deeply influenced by the emergence of intelligent cities. It should also serve as a key resource for graduate students and young researchers entering the area, and for instructors who teach courses on these subjects. The handbook is also of interest to industry and business innovators.

Handbook of Research on Blockchain Technology presents the latest information on the adaptation and implementation of Blockchain technologies in real world business, scientific, healthcare and biomedical applications. The book's editors present the rapid advancements in existing business models by applying Blockchain techniques. Novel architectural solutions in the deployment of Blockchain comprise the core aspects of this book. Several use cases with IoT, biomedical engineering, and smart cities are also incorporated. As Blockchain is a relatively new technology that exploits decentralized networks and is used in many sectors for reliable, cost-effective and rapid business transactions, this book is a welcomed addition on existing knowledge. Financial services, retail, insurance, logistics, supply chain, public sectors and biomedical industries are now investing in Blockchain research and technologies for their business growth. Blockchain prevents double spending in financial transactions without the need of a trusted authority or central server. It is a decentralized ledger platform that facilitates verifiable transactions between parties in a secure and smart way. Presents the evolution of blockchain, from fundamental theories, to present forms Explains the concepts of blockchain related to cloud/edge computing, smart healthcare, smart cities and Internet of Things (IoT) Provides complete coverage of the various tools, platforms and techniques used in blockchain Explores smart contract tools and consensus algorithms Covers a variety of applications with real world case studies in areas such as biomedical engineering, supply chain management, and tracking of goods and delivery

Over the last few years, we have witnessed an upsurge of enthusiasm about cryptocurrencies and, more generally, the so-called blockchain technology. In this new and updated edition, the authors explore what exactly these new technologies entail and promise. They argue that to understand the potential challenges and further developments in the market, one needs to develop an understanding of what needs these innovations fulfill and what business models are consistent with their use. For that, we need to sufficiently understand both the technology and how it affects the economic forces at play. This book goes beyond the headlines that say “blockchain will decentralize everything” and provides in-depth, rigorous analysis of what can be effectively decentralized and how this decentralization will work. The book draws not only on the general knowledge of digital currencies and blockchain technologies, but also on recent academic research on the topic. Featuring a fully updated chapter on cryptocurrencies and new chapters on smart contracts and enterprise blockchains, this book is critical reading for those interested in how technology developments impact business and society.

Blockchain is no longer just about bitcoin or cryptocurrencies in general. Instead, it can be seen as a disruptive, revolutionary technology which will have major impacts on multiple aspects of our lives. The revolutionary power of such technology compares with the revolution sparked by the World Wide Web and the Internet in general. Just as the Internet is a means of sharing information, so blockchain technologies can be seen as a way to introduce the next level: sharing value. Blockchain and Web 3.0 fills the gap in our understanding of blockchain technologies by hosting a discussion of the new technologies in a variety of disciplinary settings. Indeed, this volume explains how such technologies are disruptive and comparatively examines the social, economic, technological and legal consequences of these disruptions. Such a comparative perspective has previously been underemphasized in the debate about blockchain, which has subsequently led to weaknesses in our understanding of decentralized technologies. Underlining the risks and opportunities offered by the advent of blockchain technologies and the rise of Web 3.0, this book will appeal to researchers and academics interested in fields such as sociology and social policy, cyberculture, new media and privacy and data protection.