Blockchain technology is revolutionising the way we secure and protect sensitive data online. It has become a popular solution for many cybersecurity concerns, particularly for those that involve issues with data privacy, transparency, and decentralisation.
One of the primary advantages of blockchain technology is its ability to provide a decentralised and transparent network. This means that data is stored on multiple nodes, and every transaction is verified and recorded in a distributed ledger.
The decentralised nature of blockchain eliminates the need for a centralised authority, making it much more difficult for hackers to breach the system. Additionally, the transparency of the technology makes it easier for individuals to monitor any changes made to the system, providing an extra layer of security.
Cybersecurity – one of the most valuable blockchain use cases
However, very few companies are making use of these features in a practical and meaningful way. Enter SmartLedger, which is dedicated to solving governmental problems through custom-made blockchain solutions.
SmartLedger created the Certihash suite for enterprise clients to help them mitigate data breaches. Sentinel Node is the first Certihash module to be released, allowing for real-time notification of events that are occurring on a network. The toolset utilises the BSV blockchain to provide the confidentiality, integrity and availability of records to be distributed publicly across a permissionless blockchain.
These features are important as the average detection time for a network breach is 212 days causing tremendous down-the-line impact. Breaches can also be incredibly costly, reaching into the billions of dollars, and compromising both businesses and individuals.
The current model of data storage entails storing data in a central location, or locations, creating a so-called ‘honeypot’ that makes it a lucrative target for hackers.
By utilising blockchain, Certihash by SmartLedger lets you distribute your records individually, so it becomes much more costly for somebody to hack all of those records rather than one single honeypot of information.
The Sentinel Node part of the package publishes hashes of system data on the immutable BSV blockchain at regular intervals. When you have a secure hash, even the slightest change in the input will be met with a completely different output – for example, changing a letter from upper to lower case or simply adding a period.
Aimed at actual businesses
While these features are impressive, SmartLedger is also mindful of the real-world functionality of Certihash and has adapted its pricing strategy to make sure that as many businesses as possible can actually take advantage of this technology.
SmartLedger’s pricing model differs from legacy software in that you will be able to choose individual logs to monitor at different security thresholds. Instead of having a one size fits all model, the customer will have more granular control of what logs to monitor at what thresholds, as well as better oversight of operational costs.
The pricing will then be based on the total amount of data being monitored. During mission-critical times the customer could choose to raise the security thresholds, increasing the amount of data being monitored as well as the monthly cost.
Watch a full demonstration of Certihash in action
In the pilot episode of our Blockchain Hustlers series, we featured Bryan Daugherty and Greg Ward of SmartLedger who showcased their Certihash and demoed its breach detection tool Sentinel Node.
In the demo, Ward showcases the ease and simplicity of the Sentinel Node user interface, including:
- How to install it on a system, select devices and files to monitor and define intervals for checking.
- Ward illustrates what happens upon a breach or unauthorised file change and how a system admin can dismiss an alert if it’s determined that the change was authorised, then sign off on the dismissal with their private key for accountability purposes.
- He also shows how to reset the chain when an actual breach occurs.
