Blockchain-based security-minded information-sharing in precast construction supply chain management with scalability, efficiency and privacy improvements

Blockchain and Interplanetary File System (IPFS) integration holds great promise for enhancing transparency and traceability in precast construction supply chain management (PCSCM). However, such integration faces challenges regarding unauthorized access to confidential data, which can lead to significant consequences, such as financial losses and legal issues. Regarding this gap, this paper proposes a hybrid privacy-preserving access control mechanism for securing blockchain-IPFS information-sharing in PCSCM with confidentiality considerations. Multiple privacy-preserving techniques (e.g., information-sharing channels, symmetric and asymmetric encryption, and lightweight proxy re-encryption) are leveraged. A prototype system demonstrates its feasibility and effectiveness, achieving demonstrably low network latency (millisecond level), efficient encryption (millisecond level), and robust data security within both blockchain and IPFS. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of blockchain-IPFS integration and provides a valuable reference point for future research and practical adoption.