Volume 14, Number 4

Reputation-Based Consensus for Blockchain Technology in Smart Grid

  Authors

Lanqin Sang, Henry Hexmoor, Southern Illinois University, USA

  Abstract

Accurate and thorough measurement of all nodes' trustworthiness should create a safer network environment. We designed a blockchain-based, completely self-operated reputation system, R360, to enhance network security in decentralized network. R360 is a multi-factor measurement on the reputation of all nodes in the network. Specifically, a node's function, defense capability, quality of service provided, availability, malicious behavior, and resources are evaluated, providing a more accurate picture about a node's trustworthiness, which in turn should enhance the security of blockchain operations in a non-trust environment. Our design has been implemented on a single-machine, simulated setting, which demonstrates that, comparing to systems with few dimensions, R360's consensus took less time while at the same time providing better security to the system. Further security analysis shows that our design can defend common security attacks on reputation systems. Such a blockchain-based, self-operated reputation system could be used to manage smat grids for more efficient energy production and delivery.

  Keywords

Smart Grid, Blockchain, Reputation-Based, Consensus, R360.