How Does Blockchain Technology Work?

While blockchain hit the mainstream and became a buzzword with bitcoin and other forms of cryptocurrency, its potential extends much further. By allowing digital information to be distributed and not copied, blockchain technology is gaining attention for its potential use in many industries.

What Is Blockchain Technology?

At its most basic, a blockchain is a time-stamped series of immutable data records that are managed by computers not owned by any single entity. Each block is secured and bound to the other using cryptographic principles, or the chain.

The blockchain network is not governed by a central authority. The ledger is shared, unchangeable and open for all to see, increasing transparency and accountability.

Blocks are composed of digital information, including:

• Information about transactions, such as the time, date and currency amount. 

• Information about the participants of the transactions, such as usernames, public addresses or digital signatures.

• Hashes that distinguish them from other blocks in the blockchain.

The three pillars of blockchain are:

1. Decentralisation

Before bitcoin, we were accustomed to centralised services, in which a centralised entity stores all the data, and you interact with that entity to get the information you need. Banks are an example of a centralised system. They hold your money, and the only way you can access it is through the banking services.

• Data is stored in one centralised location, making it an easy target for hackers and breaches.

• If a centralised system undergoes an upgrade, it halts activity throughout the system.

• If a centralised entity shuts down unexpectedly, no user can access the information within the system.

• If a centralised entity is corrupted, all the data could be compromised.

Decentralised blockchain systems combat this by distributing information across the network. Everyone within the network owns the information and can access it without the need for a third party. This reduces the risks found in a centralised system and provides more user access and flexibility.

2. Transparency

The notion of transparency within the blockchain can be tricky. Blockchain offers privacy to users because it hides their identity using complex cryptography, and only shows their public address. So the user's real identity is secure, but you can see all the transactions performed by their public address.

This level of transparency has never existed within a financial system and adds a considerable level of accountability. The movements of large institutions are a matter of public record within the network, forcing them to be honest about their transactions.

3. Immutability

In the blockchain context, immutability means that once something is entered into the blockchain, no one can tamper with it. This is done using the cryptographic hash function.

In simple terms, hashing means taking an input string of any length and providing an output of a fixed length. This is critical when dealing with a large amount of data and transactions. Instead of remembering input data of indefinite lengths, the hash is available to keep track. 

That hash also has a hash pointer that references the previous block to create the chain. It contains the address of the previous block and the hash of data inside the previous block, which causes an ‘avalanche effect’ if the information is changed. For example, a hacker could attack a specific block and change the information, but the hash functions will then alter the hash stored in the previous blocks, completely changing the chain.

Salesforce Blockchain

With Salesforce Blockchain you can create a secure network for quickly and reliably sharing data.

How Blockchain Works

When new data is stored in the block, it is added to the blockchain. For a block to be added to the chain, the following has to happen:

• A transaction needs to occur, such as an online purchase.

• The transaction needs to be verified. With other public information, an individual is responsible for vetting new data entries, but blockchain uses a network of computers to verify the transaction and confirm the details, all within seconds.

• After the transaction is verified to be accurate, it can be stored in the block. The transaction's currency amount, details and the digital signatures for both parties are stored within the block.

• The block is given both an identifying hash for itself and the hash for the most recent block, which are both stored, and then the block is added to the chain.

When the block is added to the blockchain, it becomes visible to any user within the network.

Blockchain Privacy

Anyone can view the information in a blockchain, and users can choose to connect computers to the blockchain network. Each user receives a copy of the blockchain, which is updated automatically when a new block is added. Because this information may be shared among hundreds, thousands, or even millions of users, it becomes very difficult to manipulate. A hacker would need to alter every single copy of the blockchain within the network.

Blockchain doesn't reveal personal information about the users making transactions. Although the transaction information isn't completely anonymous, identifying information about the users is hidden behind a username or digital signature.

Blockchain Security

Blockchain technology's greatest strength is the security it offers. Blocks are always stored chronologically and linearly, with each new block added to the end of the existing chain. Once a new block is added, it's difficult to alter the contents of the block without affecting the entire blockchain.

This is a significant security advantage. If a hacker were to attempt to manipulate or alter the transaction, the block's hash will change. The next block in the chain still has the previous hash, so the hacker needs to update that too, and so on.

Computers also must provide ‘proof of work’ to enter a blockchain network. This involves solving a complex computational problem. If the computer can solve it, it's eligible to add a block to the blockchain. The odds against solving one of these problems are staggering, so computers must run programs that require a significant amount of power and money to solve them successfully.

This simple system frustrates the efforts of hackers. If a hacker wanted to coordinate a blockchain attack, they would need their computers to solve the complex problem against the same odds as every other computer. The cost and effort involved would probably outweigh any benefits of hacking the blockchain.

Learn more on Trust.salesforce.com, the Salesforce community's home for real-time information on system performance and security. 

Applications of Blockchain

Blocks on the blockchain store data about financial transactions, but they can also store data about other types of transactions, such as property exchanges, supply-chain stops, voter information and more.

Finance

The finance industry is the most obvious application for blockchain technology. By integrating blockchain into banking, transactions can be processed in minutes, rather than days, regardless of whether they occur during normal business hours. 

Banks or brokerage firms can also exchange funds between financial institutions quickly and securely, without funds or shares being frozen for the transaction waiting period. These exchanges can also be expensive for financial institutions.

Healthcare

The privacy of blockchain makes it appealing for healthcare providers. These providers can securely store their patients' medical records within the blockchain, which provides patients with the confidence that the records can't be altered. Personal health records can also be encoded and stored with a private access key, so that they're only accessible to authorised users.

Property records

The process of recording property rights is inefficient and laborious. A physical deed needs to be delivered to the recording office and manually entered into the database and public index. If there's a dispute, the claims to the property need to be reconciled with the public index.

Supply chain

Blockchain can prove invaluable for supply-chain management by recording the origins of goods that have been purchased. This allows companies to verify the authenticity of goods, for example those labelled as ‘Fair Trade’.

Voting

Blockchain has the potential to reduce or eliminate voter or election fraud, which can indirectly bolster voter turnout. If each vote is stored as a block in the blockchain, it's virtually impossible to tamper with. Blockchain technology also preserves transparency, reduces the need for staff to monitor elections, and provides instant results.

Customer Relationship Management

Advanced customer relationship management (CRM) systems are a mainstay in many organisations, but customers are increasingly wary of sharing sensitive data. On top of that, consumer demand is unpredictable and fleeting, with endless choices across different industries.

However, coupled with analytics, blockchain technology can address these changing demands. Blockchain can assist CRMs in receiving and protecting the sensitive data of customers by transferring verified documents and activity logs through secure cryptography that eliminates the intermediary.

This also helps organisations to interpret the pathway and flow of goods and services between businesses in order to better understand customer demand from different markets. Organisations can then allocate resources to specific markets, creating improved customer experiences with fewer resources.

Pros and Cons of Blockchain

Blockchain shows huge potential for many different industries, but it's not without drawbacks. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of blockchain technology:

Pros

• Accuracy: Transactions on a blockchain network are approved by thousands or millions of computers, removing human error from the process. Even if a computer makes a mistake, it only affects one copy of the blockchain.

• Cost reduction: Consumers are usually the ones paying for institutions' verification processes. Blockchain eliminates the need for third-party verification and its associated costs.

• Decentralisation: Blockchain stores information across a network of computers, updating each copy as a block is added to the blockchain, so it's difficult to alter or manipulate.

• Security: Because each block has a unique hash and has been verified by a huge network of computers, it's extremely difficult for information to be changed without altering the entire blockchain.

• Privacy: Blocks only provide information about the transactions themselves, not users' identifying information, so only authorised users have access to personal details.

• Transparency: Identifying information about users may be private, but the technology allows anyone on the network to access and modify the code. This makes it virtually impossible to tamper with the data.
  

Cons

• Low number of transactions per second: With bitcoin, the ‘proof of work’ system takes roughly ten minutes to add a new block to the blockchain, so it's possible that the network could only handle seven transactions per second. Though other transactions are known to be faster, this shows the potential inefficiencies of blockchain transactions.

• Illicit associations: The confidentiality of blockchain is beneficial for safeguarding against hackers and preserving privacy, but those same benefits can be exploited for illicit activities. One famous example is the Silk Road online marketplace on the Dark Web, which allowed anonymous transactions of illicit materials until it was shut down.

5 Innovative Examples of Blockchain

There are many innovative examples of blockchain, but we are going to focus on the top five. From finance and healthcare to media and government, nearly every industry is affected by blockchain technology. We’re now dealing in assets. Simply put, assets are the most valuable, immediate information that needs to be protected in an encoded form on a blockchain ledger.

Learn how to create trusted networks to securely extend CRM to partners.

The security, immutability, and decentralised structure of blockchain provide limitless possibilities for many industries. And by extension, consumers. Now that we've covered some of the basics, let's look at 5 innovative ways blockchain is revolutionising business.

1. Tracing Food Origins

Food travels long distances to reach the consumer, especially with bulk produce and packaged goods. Food safety, agricultural worker safety, and environmental protection are important to consumers. They’re also major concerns for the large-scale farming industry.

Blockchain can be used to track the journey of our food from farm to table. This gives consumers peace of mind about where their food came from and how it got to them. Having a transparent journey also helps manufacturers trace contamination. If there’s a recall, they can quickly trace the source and warn the public. 

2. Renewable Energy

Consumers are becoming more concerned about the environment. And as a result, there is a heightened interest in sustainable, alternative energy sources. Most people want to replace fossil fuels and reduce their impact on the environment. Unfortunately, one of the drawbacks of renewable energy is that homeowners are likely to produce more than they can use.

Blockchain can create a virtual energy marketplace that allows community members to buy, sell, or exchange energy with others. This mitigates some of the costs of switching to green energy. It also has the long-term benefit of contributing to a more sustainable future.

3. Foreign Aid

Although foreign aid is important, donors may feel reluctant to provide funding without knowing how it will be used. Blockchain can revolutionise foreign aid delivery by allowing donors and recipients to track the transfer of funds. This ensures clear confirm of the transaction and that the donor's funds aren’t misappropriated or stolen.

The accountability of this aid delivery process may make it easier for non-profits to raise money for their causes. With the transparent process, donors can see the immediate impact of their financial contributions. It provides clarity and ensures that their funds are making a difference.

4. Digital Democracy

Voting is essential to an effective democratic system. However, it can be difficult to prevent fraud, human error, technical error, or attacks from impeding the process. Blockchain is secure and transparent; two traits that are vital for voting.

With blockchain, anyone can see the transactions on a public ledger. Records and events can’t be tampered with or erased. So there’s less of a risk of error or fraud. The system is immutable.

5. Real Estate

One of the biggest challenges in real estate is transfers. Paper and digital documents need interpretation. They also reside in a central database and have a high risk of fraud or loss. Real estate titles on blockchain would show the transaction details, making it more difficult to tamper with the information. Documents are also less likely to become damaged or lost during the transfer process.

At its simplest, blockchain is a technology that promotes security, transparency, and accountability. The technology has potentially endless applications across industries and specific businesses.

Looking to the Future of Blockchain

Since its humble beginnings as a research project in 1991, blockchain has evolved and grown to become a promising technology for an array of industries. With many practical applications for the technology already being implemented and explored, blockchain is poised to revolutionise business and government in the future.