IBM Awarded Patent for Blockchain-Based Network Security

American tech giant, IBM, has been awarded a new patent to outline how Digital Ledger Technology (DLT) can play a significant role in securing computer networks from various forms of attacks.

According to a publication released by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on Tuesday, the patent tries to highlight a situation whereby series of computers that are connected to a particular blockchain tech can operate flawlessly without hitches.

IBM is more concerned in ways to curb out downtime even in an event where any of the computers in operation gets attacked by hackers; the computer can still function with the information already logged on to the blockchain.

“On a computer system or network, data may be monitored for many different purposes. Data monitoring may identify problems, observe conditions or track metrics by logging the events of a given computer system or network,” the patent states.

Blockchain Tech to Provide Backup for Vulnerable System

IBM believes that even when attackers try to hide signs of their work on any of the monitor, companies will still have the edge over them, due to the idea of having multiple backups of the information already shared in the blockchain. “This will help ensure that such events are still logged.”

IBM also stated that firms might want to set up a system with a sensor installed whereby if attackers hijack any of the computers, the administrators will receive a quick notification to stop further attacks.

A case study of information validation was cited, where a computer sends out information that does not match with the rest of the system, it would be easily detected that the system has been compromised.

In the event of “inconsistent data,” the system administrators might want to take more in-depth measures to prevent further attacks.

“Having synchronized monitors set up in a blockchain configuration ensures consensus among the monitors. Since one monitor alone cannot alter the event log in the past or cannot fake the event log in the future if one monitor is hacked, then there may be no consensus among the synchronized monitors and the event may not get written into the log,” IBM explained in the publication.

According to IBM, when blockchain technology is adopted to highlight irregularities in network security, it would “create a less vulnerable network.”