Affiliations: [a] Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology, Longowal, India | [b] Department of Information Technology, Netaji Subhas University of Technology, New Delhi, India | [c] National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology, New Delhi, India | [d] Department of Computer Science, Bharati College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India | [e] Department of Computer Science, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Canada | [f] Department of Information and Communication Engineering, Fukuoka Institute of Technology, Fukuoka, Japan
Abstract: In the contemporary era, blockchain technology has brought about a significant transformation in the realm of digital currency through innovations like Bitcoin. A blockchain serves as a decentralized ledger, ensuring an immutable record of transactions across a network. Recent observations indicate the pivotal role of blockchain technology not only in the financial sector but also in networking. This study considers blockchain as the essential link in establishing a genuinely decentralized, trustless, and secure environment for network nodes. The objective is to provide a systematic and comprehensive overview of futuristic endeavours in this domain. The exploration begins with an examination of the fundamental operational concepts of blockchains and how these systems achieve decentralization, security, and suitability. The focus then shifts towards addressing open research challenges within blockchain technologies, particularly in securing diverse communication networks such as Distributed Computing, Vehicular Ad-hoc Networks, Opportunistic Networks, and Delay Tolerant Networks. Simulation results underscore the superior security performance of blockchain, especially under conditions of attack.
