Decentralized Internet Privacy: Towards a Blockchain Framework for Healthcare

Abstract.

This research concerns the new environment of computer networks and issues of privacy. Modern technologies and systems handle a large amount of personal information. Personal information and sensitive data are usually handled by third parties. Attacks and data breaches on large information systems, engage the danger of privacy breaches and violations. User profiling and data extraction using modern network flow methods reveal privacy issues and violations. Privacy terms as stated, are not sufficient in protecting users from data breaches and privacy violations, thus rendering more urgent the need for users to be constantly informed of any information disclosures, regaining in this way the control of their personal information. Decentralized models for privacy, apart from their benefits, might reveal new privacy issues and specific approaches have to be analysed. Blockchains alongside other challenges, might improve privacy properties, but could also lead to the opposite result, since the shared ledger will be always available. On the other hand, TTP-based approaches have a single point of failure and often suffer from data breaches.  Moreover, blockchain approaches until now are not adequately evaluated in terms of privacy. In this paper, a model is proposed for providing sensitive information in healthcare environments using blockchains, in order to give the complete control of personal data to the users. During the disclosures, it is important for the patient to give consent and to have the adequate notifications. From this perspective, blockchain technology enhances transparency, significantly in keeping users informed about any disclosures.

Keywords: Privacy; Blockchains; Decentralized models; Surveillance

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