Blockchain for Information Security and Privacy

1st Edition install download

https://ebookmeta.com/product/blockchain-for-information-
security-and-privacy-1st-edition/

Download more ebook from https://ebookmeta.com

We believe these products will be a great fit for you. Click
the link to download now, or visit ebookmeta.com
to discover even more!

Recent Trends in Blockchain for Information Systems

Security and Privacy 1st Edition Ajith Abraham

https://ebookmeta.com/product/recent-trends-in-blockchain-for-
information-systems-security-and-privacy-1st-edition-ajith-
abraham/

Legal and Privacy Issues in Information Security 3rd

Edition Grama Joanna Lyn

https://ebookmeta.com/product/legal-and-privacy-issues-in-
information-security-3rd-edition-grama-joanna-lyn/

ISO/IEC 27001:2022: Information security, cybersecurity

and privacy protection — Information security
management systems — Requirements 3rd Edition Iso

https://ebookmeta.com/product/iso-iec-270012022-information-
security-cybersecurity-and-privacy-protection-information-
security-management-systems-requirements-3rd-edition-iso/

Heterologous Expression of Membrane Proteins Methods

and Protocols 3rd Edition Isabelle Mus Veteau

https://ebookmeta.com/product/heterologous-expression-of-
membrane-proteins-methods-and-protocols-3rd-edition-isabelle-mus-
veteau/
100 The Story Of A Patriot 1st Edition Upton Sinclair.

https://ebookmeta.com/product/100-the-story-of-a-patriot-1st-
edition-upton-sinclair/

The Secrets of Early American Civilizations The Decline

of the Mayas and the Lost Cities of the Amazon 1st
Edition Federico Puigdevall

https://ebookmeta.com/product/the-secrets-of-early-american-
civilizations-the-decline-of-the-mayas-and-the-lost-cities-of-
the-amazon-1st-edition-federico-puigdevall/

Caravaggio and the Creation of Modernity 1st Edition

Troy Thomas

https://ebookmeta.com/product/caravaggio-and-the-creation-of-
modernity-1st-edition-troy-thomas/

The Essential Thucydides: On Justice, Power, and Human

Nature: Selections from The History of the
Peloponnesian War 2nd Edition Paul Woodruff (Editor)

https://ebookmeta.com/product/the-essential-thucydides-on-
justice-power-and-human-nature-selections-from-the-history-of-
the-peloponnesian-war-2nd-edition-paul-woodruff-editor/

Drug Repurposing and Computational Drug Discovery:

Strategies and Advances 1st Edition Mithun Rudrapal

https://ebookmeta.com/product/drug-repurposing-and-computational-
drug-discovery-strategies-and-advances-1st-edition-mithun-
rudrapal/
Practical Electronics and Arduino in 8 Hours (2020
Edition) Jim Fragos

https://ebookmeta.com/product/practical-electronics-and-arduino-
in-8-hours-2020-edition-jim-fragos/
 Blockchain for
Information Security
and Privacy
 Blockchain for
Information Security
and Privacy

Edited by
Udai Pratap Rao
Piyush Kumar Shukla
Chandan Trivedi
Sweta Gupta
Zelalem Sintayehu Shibeshi
First edition published 2022
by CRC Press
6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742
and by CRC Press
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
© 2022 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
CRC Press is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
Reasonable efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information, but the author and
publisher cannot assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or the consequences of
their use. The authors and publishers have attempted to trace the copyright holders of all material
reproduced in this publication and apologize to copyright holders if permission to publish in this
form has not been obtained. If any copyright material has not been acknowledged please write and
let us know so we may rectify in any future reprint.
Except as permitted under U.S. Copyright Law, no part of this book may be reprinted, repro-
duced, transmitted, or utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or in any
information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publishers.
For permission to photocopy or use material electronically from this work, access www.copyright.
com or contact the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC), 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA
01923, 978-750-8400. For works that are not available on CCC please contact mpkbookspermis-
[email protected]
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks and are
used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
ISBN: 978-0-367-65448-1 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-14628-7 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-12948-6 (ebk)
DOI: 10.1201/9781003129486
Typeset in Garamond
by SPi Technologies India Pvt Ltd (Straive)
Contents

Preface.............................................................................................................ix
Editors.............................................................................................................xi
Contributors..................................................................................................xiii
1 Blockchain Impact in Education and Society...........................................1
S. GOMATHI, MUKESH SONI, UTKARSH NIGAM,
BHAVNA BAJPAI, AND SUBRATA CHOWDHURY

2 Apply and Analyse Several Blockchain Techniques in

IoT and Big Data Sector.........................................................................19
NIKHIL RANJAN, SARVESH KUMAR, AND AAKANKSHA JAIN

3 Blockchain: Trends, Role and Future Prospects ������������������������������������43

PRIYA SWAMINARAYAN, ABHISHEK MEHTA,
NIHAL PARSANIA, AND KHUSHI SOLANKI

4 Cybersecurity and Privacy Issues of Blockchain Technology..................69

AYUSHI DWIVEDI, AMARNATH MISHRA, AND DEBABRATA SINGH

5 Robust Digital Medical Image Watermarking and Encryption

Algorithms Using Blockchain over DWT Edge Coefficient....................95
PARESH RAWAT AND PIYUSH KUMAR SHUKLA

6 Enhanced Privacy and Security of Voters’ Identity in

Interplanetary File System Based E-Voting Process..............................113
NARENDRA KUMAR DEWANGAN AND PREETI CHANDRAKAR

7 Blockchain-Enabled Secure Internet of Vehicles: A Solution

Taxonomy, Architecture, and Future Directions...................................133
MOHD ZUHAIR, PRONAYA BHATTACHARYA,
ASHWIN VERMA, AND UMESH BODKHE

v
vi ◾ Contents

8 Blockchain-Based Federated Cloud Environment: Issues

and Challenges.....................................................................................155
ASHWIN VERMA, PRONAYA BHATTACHARYA, UMESH BODKHE,
MOHD ZUHAIR, AND RAM KISHAN DEWANGAN

9 Blockchain-Based Secured Data Management in

Confidential Cyber Defence Applications............................................177
S. SATHEESH KUMAR, S. GOKUL KUMAR, S. CHANDRAPRABHA,
B. MARUTHI SHANKAR, AND S.A. SIVA KUMAR

10 Blockchain Technology for Privacy and Security Issues and

Challenges in IoT-Based Systems.........................................................193
C.J. RAMAN, S. USHA KIRUTHIKA, L. JAVID ALI, AND
S. KANAGA SUBA RAJA

11 A Secure Online Voting System Using Blockchain...............................217

MEHAK WADHWANI, NISHA MANSOORI, SHIVANGI TANWAR,
AANCHAL HANDA, AND BHAVESH N. GOHIL

12 Secure Electronic Health Records (EHR) Management

Using Blockchain.................................................................................245
ATHARVA KALSEKAR, AVINASH JAISWAL, ROGIN KOSHY,
SAMEER MANDLOI, AND BHAVESH N. GOHIL

13 Blockchain Impact of Security and Privacy in Digital Identity

Management........................................................................................275
SMITA BANSOD AND LATA L. RAGHA

14 A New Ecosystem for Digital Identity Verification Using

Blockchain...........................................................................................293
SHUBHAM GUPTA, KEVIN SHAH, ADITYA HIRAPARA,
DEEP MISTRY, ANKUR BANG, AND UDAI PRATAP RAO

15 Blockchain-Based Security and Privacy for Smart Contracts ...............315

VIVEK KUMAR PRASAD, CHANDAN TRIVEDI, DHAVAL JHA, AND
MADHURI BHAVSAR

16 Blockchain Application in Digital Identity Management

in Elections..........................................................................................337
RAJEEV KUMAR GUPTA, SWETA GUPTA, AND RAJIT NAIR
 Contents ◾ vii

17 Leveraging Blockchain Technology for Decentralized Domain

Name Broker Service............................................................................353
SANKITA PATEL, UJJWAL KUMAR, HRISHABH SHARMA,
AMRUTA MULAY, AND RISHABH KUMAR

18 Using Blockchain for Digital Copyrights Management.......................377

NIRMAL KUMAR GUPTA, ANIL KUMAR YADAV, AND ASHISH JAIN

Index.............................................................................................................401
Preface

This book provides the reader with the most up-to-date knowledge of blockchain in
mainstream areas of security, trust, and privacy in the decentralized domain, some-
thing which is both timely and essential. This is because the distributed and P2P
applications are increasing on an almost daily basis, and the attackers adopt new
mechanisms to threaten the security and privacy of the users in those environments.
This book also provides technical information regarding blockchain-oriented soft-
ware, applications, and tools required for the researcher and developer experts in
both computing and software engineering to provide solutions and automated sys-
tems against current security, trust, and privacy issues in cyberspace.
Blockchain, a decentralized cryptographic-based technology, is promising for
the Internet of Things (IoT) security, affecting many areas, including manufactur-
ing, finance, healthcare, supply chain, identity management, e-governance, defence,
education, banking, and trading. This book gives an overview of blockchain technol-
ogy application domains in IoT, such as Vehicle Web, Power Web, Cloud Internet,
Edge Computing, etc. This book also include categorization and side-by-side com-
parison of modern methods towards secure and privacy-preserving blockchain tech-
nology concerning specific safety objectives, efficiency, limitations, computational
complexity, and communication overhead.
Trust is a crucial factor as cyber-physical systems need to depend on resources
and assets controlled by various organizations, such as Edge, Fog, and Cloud com-
puting. While numerous real-world frameworks attempt to assist such integration,
they have platform independence, security, resource management, and multi-appli-
cation execution limitations that provide insights to application based solutions.
Decentralized digital ledger technology also allows people to create encrypted digital
identities easily accessible via mobile applications and can verify identity as and
when necessary. This book will discuss how blockchain can be used in various iden-
tity management applications and authentication in election voting.
In blockchain-based finance, security and privacy challenges can be solved at a
more customized level with significantly less time. On the security aspect, it has dis-
tributed consensus, which reduces data theft by an intermediary. It showcases driving
instruments to granular information security over each product stack layer, permit-
ting certain information sharing in business systems. The expanding prominence

ix
x ◾ Preface

of a keen, smart meter, smart home, smart city, and smart services applications has
presented exceptional interest for improving the hidden data innovation framework
to guarantee the straightforwardness, security, and protection of client information.
Blockchain is a promising innovation fit for tending to such requests. This book
will also focus on the security and privacy concerns of various smart applications,
present existing issues and challenges with case studies related to these applications.
The rising blockchain innovation demonstrates the promising potential to
upgrade modern frameworks and IoT by giving applications with repetition,
changeless capacity, and encryption. In this book, we address the combination of
blockchain and IoT from concerning industrial perspective. This book presents
blockchain empowered IoT structure that included basic methods, principles,
applications, and critical difficulties. This book also explore the various blockchain-
based systems such as the Internet of Vehicles (IoV), Electronic Healthcare Records
(EHR), Copyrights Management, and Domain Name Broker services for ensuring
security, protection, and high accessibility.
Editors

Udai Pratap Rao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer

Engineering at Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Surat. In 2014,
he earned a PhD in Computer Engineering at Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute
of Technology, Surat. His research interests include Information security and pri-
vacy, Location-based privacy, Security in IoT and Cyber Physical Systems, Big Data
analytics, distributed computing, and methodologies that promote interdisciplinary
education.

Piyush Kumar Shukla is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer

Science and Engineering at the University Institute of Technology – Rajiv Gandhi
Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya (Technological University of Madhya Pradesh),
Bhopal, India. He has 15 years’ experience in teaching and research. He completed
a postdoctoral fellowship (PDF), Information Security Education and Awareness
Project Phase II.

Chandan Trivedi is an Assistant Professor in the Computer Science and Engineering

Department at Nirma University. He has more than six years’ teaching experi-
ence. He earned a BTech in Computer Science Engineering at Rajasthan Technical
University, Kota, and MTech in Computer Engineering at Sardar Vallabhbhai
National Institute of Technology, Surat.

Sweta Gupta is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and

Engineering at JLU School of Engineering and Technology. She has a 10+ years of
academic as well as industrial experience.

Zelalem Sintayehu Shibeshi is a Senior Lecturer at Rhodes University, South

Africa. He earned a PhD at Rhodes University (2016) and a BSc in physics (1989),
an associate degree in computer science (1999), and MSc in information science
(2001) at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.

xi
Contributors

L. Javid Ali Umesh Bodkhe

Department of Information Department of Computer Science and
Technology Engineering
St. Joseph’s Institute of Technology Institute of Technology
Chennai, India Nirma University
Ahmedabad, India
Bhavna Bajpai
Department of Information Technology
Dr. C.V. Raman University Preeti Chandrakar
Khandwa, India Department of Computer Science and
Engineering
Ankur Bang National Institute of Technology
Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Raipur, India
Technology
Surat, India
S. Chandraprabha
Smita Bansod Department of Electrical
Information Technology Department and Computer Engineering
Shah & Anchor Kutchhi Engineering KPR Institute of Engineering and
College Technology
Mumbai, India Coimbatore, India
Pronaya Bhattacharya
Department of Computer Science and Subrata Chowdhury
Engineering Sri Venkateswara College of
Institute of Technology Engineering and Technology
Nirma University (Autonomous)
Ahmedabad, India Chittoor, India

Madhuri Bhavsar
Department of Computer Science and Narendra Kumar Dewangan
Engineering Department of Computer Science and
Institute of Technology Engineering
Nirma University National Institute of Technology
Ahmedabad, India Raipur, India

xiii
xiv ◾ Contributors

Ram Kishan Dewangan Aanchal Handa

Department of Computer Science and HSBC Technology
Engineering India
Thapar Institute of Engineering and
Technology Aditya Hirapara
Patiala, India Department of Computer Science and
Engineering
Ayushi Dwivedi Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute
Amity Institute of Forensic Sciences of Technology
Faculty of Science and Technology Surat, India
Amity University
Noida, India Aakanksha Jain
Department of Computer Science
Bhavesh N. Gohil Engineering
Department of Computer Science and Poornima University
Engineering Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute
of Technology
Ashish Jain
Surat, India
Manipal University Jaipur
Jaipur, India
S. Gomathi
UK International Qualifications, Ltd.
Sharjah, UAE Avinash Jaiswal
Department of Computer Science and
Nirmal Kumar Gupta Engineering
Manipal University Jaipur Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute
Jaipur, India of Technology
Surat, India
Rajeev Kumar Gupta
Pandit Deendayal Energy University Dhaval Jha
Gujarat, India Department of Computer Science and
Engineering
Shubham Gupta Institute of Technology
Department of Computer Science and Nirma University
Engineering Ahmedabad, India
Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute
of Technology Atharva Kalsekar
Surat, India Department of Computer Science and
Engineering
Sweta Gupta Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute
Jagran Lakecity University of Technology
Bhopal, India Surat, India
 Contributors ◾ xv

S. Usha Kiruthika Ujjwal Kumar

School of Computer Science and Department of Computer Science and
Engineering Engineering
Vellore Institute of Technology Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of
Chennai, India Technology
Surat, India
Rogin Koshy
Department of Computer Science and Sameer Mandloi
Engineering Department of Computer Science and
Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Engineering
Technology Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of
Surat, India Technology
Surat, India
Rishabh Kumar
Department of Computer Science and Nisha Mansoori
Engineering EZDI Solutions and Healthcare
Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of India
Technology
Surat, India Abhishek Mehta
Parul Institute of Computer
S.A. Siva Kumar Application
Department of Electrical and Parul University
Computer Engineering Vadodara, Gujarat, India
Ashoka Women’s Engineering
College Amarnath Mishra
Kurnool, India Amity Institute of Forensic Sciences
Faculty of Science and Technology
S. Gokul Kumar Amity University
Department of Technical Supply Noida, India
Chain
Ros Tech (A&D) Deep Mistry
Bangalore, India Department of Computer Science
Engineering
S. Satheesh Kumar Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of
Department of Electrical and Technology
Computer Engineering Surat, India
KPR Institute of Engineering and
Technology Amruta Mulay
Coimbatore, India Department of Computer Science
Engineering
Sarvesh Kumar Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of
Babu Banarasi Das University Technology
Lucknow, India Surat, India
xvi ◾ Contributors

Rajit Nair C.J. Raman

Inurture Education Solutions Private Department of Information
Limited Technology
Bengaluru, India St. Joseph’s College of Engineering
Chennai, India
Utkarsh Nigam
Department of Civil Engineering Nikhil Ranjan
L.D. College of Engineering Department of Computer Science
Ahmedabad, India Engineering
Chandigarh University
Nihal Parsania Punjab, India
Parul Institute of Computer Application
Parul University Udai Pratap Rao
Vadodara, India Department of Computer Science and
Engineering
Sankita Patel Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute
Department of Computer Science and of Technology
Engineering Surat, India
Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute
of Technology Paresh Rawat
Surat, India S.N. Technology
Bhopal, India
Vivek Kumar Prasad
Department of Computer Science and Kevin Shah
Engineering Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute
Institute of Technology of Technology
Nirma University Surat, India
Ahmedabad, India
B. Maruthi Shankar
Lata L. Ragha Department of Electrical and
Department of Computer Engineering Computer Engineering
Fr. C. Rodrigues Institute of Sri Krishna College of Engineering and
Technology Technology
Navi Mumbai, India Coimbatore, India

S. Kanaga Suba Raja Hrishabh Sharma

Department of Information Department of Computer Engineering
Technology Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute
Easwari Engineering College of Technology
Chennai, India Surat, India
 Contributors ◾ xvii

Piyush Kumar Shukla Shivangi Tanwar

Department of Computer Science and John Deere Technology Centre
Engineering Pune, India
University Institute of Technology
Rajiv Gandhi Prodyogiki Chandan Trivedi
Vishwavidyalaya Department of Computer Science and
Bhopal, India Engineering
Institute of Technology
Debabrata Singh Nirma University
Department of Computer Ahmedabad, India
Application
ITER Ashwin Verma
SOA University Department of Computer Science and
Bhubaneswar, India Engineering
Institute of Technology
Khushi Solanki Nirma University
Parul Institute of Computer Ahmedabad, India
Application
Parul University Mehak Wadhwani
Vadodara, India Monash University
Melbourne, Australia
Mukesh Soni
Department of Computer Science and Anil Kumar Yadav
Engineering IES College of Technology
Jagran Lackecity University Bhopal, India
Bhopal, India
Mohd Zuhair
Priya Swaminarayan Department of Computer Science and
Parul Institute of Computer Engineering
Application Institute of Technology
Parul University Nirma University
Vadodara, India Ahmedabad, India
Chapter 1

Blockchain Impact in
Education and Society
S. Gomathi
UK International Qualifications, Ltd., UAE

Mukesh Soni
Jagran Lackecity University, India

Utkarsh Nigam
L.D. College of Engineering, India

Bhavna Bajpai
Dr. C.V. Raman University, India

Subrata Chowdhury
Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering and Technology (Autonomous), India

Contents
1.1 Introduction�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������2
1.2 Topics Covered in This Section ��������������������������������������������������������������������3
1.2.1 Finding the Relevant Article �������������������������������������������������������������4
1.3 Blockchain in Education �����������������������������������������������������������������������������5
1.3.1 Categories of Application �����������������������������������������������������������������6
1.3.2 Benefits ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������7
1.3.3 Challenges Faced during the Adoption of Blockchain
Technology in Education �����������������������������������������������������������������7
1.4 Discussion ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������9

DOI: 10.1201/9781003129486-1 1
2 ◾ Blockchain for Information Security and Privacy

1.4.1 What Applications Have You Developed for Educational

Purposes with Blockchain Technology? ���������������������������������������������9
1.4.2 What Benefits Will the Technology of Blockchain Bring to
Education? �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������11
1.5 Future Research Areas ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������15
1.6 Conclusion ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������15
References ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������16

1.1 Introduction
Blockchain was launched in 2008 as an emerging technology. The first time the
transactions were registered in Bitcoin cryptocurrency [1] was used as a peer-­to-­peer
ledger. The goal was to remove any intermediary (or third) parties and to allow users
to transact directly. Blockchain has been developed to achieve this as a decentral-
ized peer-­node network. Every network node: (1) contains a copy of the transaction
records; (2) writes an entry into the network’s own record when it receives con-
sensus from other network nodes; (3) broadcasts any transaction that the network
user transmits to other nodes on the network; and (4) verifies periodically that the
network’s records are similar to those in the entire web [2]. As Bitcoin is continu-
ing to grow in popularity, the tremendous potential of its underlying technology is
realized by both researchers and practitioners [3]. Blockchain is used as a service in
many other areas, not only in cryptocurrencies, since it has several key advantages:
immutability, transparency, and trustworthiness.
Consequently, a growing number of Blockchain-­based applications in vari-
ous fields were developed [4]. The development of Blockchain-­based applications,
according to Gatteschi et al. [5], can be split into three key stages: 1.0, 2.0, and
3.0. Initially, it was used to allow single cash transactions, with Blockchain 1.0 for
cryptocurrencies. Blockchain 2.0 for properties and smart contracts was eventually
launched. These intelligent contracts enforce specific requirements and standards to
be satisfied before being registered in the Blockchain. Registration happens without
a third party’s involvement. Many applications in different sectors, such as govern-
ment [6], education [7], health [8], and science[9], were built in to Blockchain 3.0.
Blockchain remains in its early stages in its application for education. A small
number of educational institutions rely entirely upon Blockchain technology. Most
of these institutions use it to validate and share their students’ academic and learning
outcomes. However, field researchers believe Blockchain technology has a lot more
to offer and will revolutionize the field. Blockchain may be able to undermine the
critical position played by educational institutions as certification officers, accord-
ing to Nespor [10]. While the literature on Blockchain application has increased in
recent years, there is currently no systematic analysis of the topic. Such a study is
beneficial for an up-­to-­date analysis of the subject and informs evidence-­based prac-
tices. Through research into how Blockchain technologies are used in education, this
 Blockchain Impact in Education and Society ◾ 3

chapter provides an original and timely contribution to the literature on education

technology. The primary target audiences are administrators, leaders, researchers,
and scientists who want to protect their expertise and how it can have a profound
effect on the field of education.

1.2 Topics Covered in This Section

1. How education can take benefit with Blockchain – Blockchain technology
could provide significant educational benefits, including high-­security, low-­
cost, improved evaluations of students, improved data access monitoring,
improved accountability and transparency, identification authentication,
increased confidence, and better data record performance, support of career
decisions for learners and enhancement of interactivity between students.
2. Challenges in education – While Blockchain has shown its promise in an
educational context, many challenges remain when using Blockchain tech-
nology. In this post, we have summed up these challenges in some main
categories.
3. Blockchain applications in education – While an increasing number of
Blockchain-­based apps for education have been created, to date few have been
released publicly. Such conditions can be divided into major categories, as
described in the previous section. Every type deals with a problem of confi-
dence, privacy, or protection in the field of education.
4. Student records and credentialing – Some institutions find Blockchain to be
an excellent platform for storing, tracking, and using student credentials. A
Blockchain diploma enables students to view their records quickly and effi-
ciently and share this information with future employers. Employers would
then have no need to contact universities and colleges directly to inquire about
their achievements.
5. Copyright and digital rights protection – Academic plagiarism is a serious
problem. Blockchain systems can be used to control the distribution of copy-
righted material over the Internet. The technology’s primary function is the
secure storage of data recorded in a chain. Therefore, data in the Blockchain
cannot be altered manually because advanced encryption measures protect it.

The following paragraphs explain how these five measures were carried out in this
systematic review. The following research questions were formulated based on the
intent of this report.

1. Which applications were developed for educational purposes with Blockchain

technology?
2. What advantages could technology Blockchain bring to training?
3. What are the challenges of Blockchain education technology?
4 ◾ Blockchain for Information Security and Privacy

1.2.1 Finding the Relevant Article

A number of academic databases, such as the ACM Digital Library, IEEE Xplore
and Taylor and Francis, were searched online to compile articles related to a sys-
tematic review of the work. These included SAGE Papers, ProQuest, Springer, and
the Web of Science. The databases were chosen on the Monash University Library
website [6]. This website is compiled by one of the world’s leading universities,
which is recognized for its excellence in teaching and science. This platform pro-
vides the largest number of critical databases. The nine databases are known for
their high-­impact, high-­quality papers in education, and information technology.
The last of these searches was carried out in April 2019. The quest was performed
using the terms “Blockchain AND Education,”. “Blockchain AND Learning,” and
“Blockchain AND Teaching” As each database uses a search syntax separately, every
query string was set (see Table 1.1).
Google Scholar was also searched for more papers during the subsequent com-
pletion of the report. The aim was to find other articles of quality not identified

Table 1.1 Used Strings for Query Purpose

Strings Source
Blockchain AND education, Blockchain AND Sciencedirect
learning, Blockchain AND teaching

((Blockchain) AND education), ((Blockchain) AND IEEE Xplore

teaching), ((Blockchain) AND learning)

[All Blockchain] AND [All education], [All SAGE Journals

Blockchain] AND [All teaching], [All Blockchain]
AND [All learning]

digital library (Blockchain + education), (Blockchain ACM

+ learning), (Blockchain + teaching)

[All: Blockchain] AND [All: education], [All: Taylor & Francis online
Blockchain] AND [All: teaching],[All: Blockchain]
AND [All: learning]

Blockchain AND education, Blockchain AND Springer

teaching, Blockchain AND learning

(Blockchain) AND TITLE-­ABS-­KEY (teaching)), Scopus

(TITLE-­ABS-­KEY (Blockchain) AND
TITLE-­ABS-­KEY (learning))

TOPIC: (Blockchain) AND TOPIC: (education), Web of Science

Blockchain AND education, Blockchain AND ProQuest

teaching, Blockchain AND learning
 Blockchain Impact in Education and Society ◾ 5

during the initial quest for databases. But, since the search requires references not
checked by peers, Google Scholar has been limited to articles by well-­known pub-
lishers, e.g., the AACE, the Australasian Society for the Advancement of Education
Computers, the Canadian Education Innovation Network, Consortia Academia
Publishing, and Distance Editorial. Google Scholar’s Advanced Search page has
been used to limit the search to specific editors. The publishers’ names were entered
in the field “Return published objects,” while the question stings were entered into
the field “with all the words” using the following query strings for this search.

1. The researchers reviewed the titles and abstracts for the papers searched with
the pre-­defined requirements of inclusion and exclusion after the conclusion
of their search. The search was completed.
a. An essay was omitted where the complete text was not accessible online.
b. Blockchain technology did not apply in education.
c. The application being tabled was not practical; i.e., opinion.
The application was not submitted. EndNote has inserted the remaining
products and duplicates have been excluded. Finally, the full text of every
document has been read to ensure that all the details relevant to this sys-
tematic analysis are included. There has been no consistency evaluation.
Through using empirical bases as a main source for finding the related
papers, the accuracy of this analysis has been assured. Only peer-­reviewed
papers written by leading publishers have then been deemed to be part of
this analysis for the search on Google Scholar. We were thus able to include
high-­quality papers.
2. Data Extraction – For the extraction of data from the studies included, a data
extraction form was used. The type was specifically developed for this review
and was piloted on a sample of documents.
3. Data Analysis – Data analysis was carried out after extracting the data from
documents. The extracted information was analysed on four key themes which
emerged from the questions of study. The topics included: application, advan-
tages, threats, and the future. Several sub-­topics arose from data analyses for
each of these key themes.

1.3 Blockchain in Education
Several Blockchain applications for educational purposes have been developed, as
shown in Section 2.2. Such applications can be grouped into 12 distinct categories:
management of qualifications, competence management, and learning results man-
agement, assessment of students’ abilities, the security of learning objects, safeguard-
ing of shared learning environment, transferring fees and credits, gaining digital
custodial consent, management of competitions, copyright management, enhanc-
ing interactions between students.
6 ◾ Blockchain for Information Security and Privacy

1.3.1 Categories of Application

1. Certification Management – Full virtual schools problematize what is meant

by the term ‘school attendance’. Does it require the child to log in (regardless
of the amount of work done) to the school’s software system, or should it
alternatively be measured by how much work has been submitted (irrespective
of the duration of time for login)? How do you understand how many teach-
ers do when students work at home? Using documents and interviews with 22
teachers of 10 US VPNs Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), this article looks
at schools in terms of time savings, animated by two temporary accumulation
circuits: one that generates students’ academic records; a second one that mea-
sures the amount of times schools work with pupils. Cyber education recon-
figures and connects these chains with impacts on school finance, student
certification, and teachers’ employment [10]. Xu et al. [11] has introduced an
educational certificate Blockchain (ECBC) that supports high performance
and low latency and provides speeding-­up queries. The ECBC consensus
mechanism uses co-­operation between peers to build competitive blocks to
minimize latency and increase performance. ECBC provides an MPT (MPT-­
Chain) tree structure that cannot only include an effective transaction request,
but also support a historical account transaction query. MPT-­Chain requires
only a short update period and can accelerate block verification. ECBC is also
designed to protect user privacy via transaction format. The experiment shows
that ECBC has better throughput and latency efficiency to accommodate
rapid queries. Like this, there are many articles based on certificate manage-
ment [12–16].
2. Competencies and learning outcomes management – Farah et al. [17] pre-
sented a framework for a Blockchain-­tech architecture stored in a distributed
repository network without diminishing its authenticity by signing and vali-
dating learning traces. The proposal puts online study participants at the cen-
ter of the design process, enabling them to store traces of learning in a place of
their choice. Employing intelligent contracts, stakeholders can retrieve the
data and share it securely and with third parties, ensuring that it is unaltered.
However, a preliminary assessment showed that only 56 percent of studied
teachers considered a tamper-­evident depository to be a useful feature [18].
These results encourage further examination of data used in their practice with
other end-­users, such as learning analytics researchers.

Duan et al. [19] introduced a Blockchain education technology based on a study

results index, including professional certification and automatic tools for deter-
mining university graduation requirements. The achievement results of courses are
reported in a block based on the quantitative and qualitative combination of quali-
fications, method and facts, name of courses, name of the study results (diploma
 Blockchain Impact in Education and Society ◾ 7

criteria indicator), the courses’ weight, etc. The transition from the assessment of
students’ achievement to the post-­jobs assessment results is completed, and coun-
terparts from the evaluation of student skills are sent to the program, in which the
curriculum is continually improved. Some more articles based on Competencies
and learning outcomes management are given in three articles [20–22].

1.3.2 Benefits
Blockchain could bring education to seven different types of benefits. Blockchain
could bring to education were highlighted in the checked papers. Security is the
first advantage [23, 24]. Seventeen articles (55%) defined protection as an essen-
tial advantage of incorporating Blockchain education technology. Data protection,
privacy, and dignity are all part of security. A second significant advantage of using
Blockchain in education is greater control over how and by whom student data are
accessed. Twelve papers (39%) highlighted this gain. Increased accountability and
openness is the third benefits highlighted in 11 articles (36%). The fourth advan-
tage of Blockchain technology in education is increasing trust. Blockchain can cre-
ate trust between all parties involved and promote contact with them, according
to 10 articles (32%). A fifth advantage of using Blockchain in education lowers
costs. Nine reports (29%) documented this gain. The type of Blockchain technol-
ogy, according to these papers, can help reduce the unnecessary costs of transactions
and data storage. Authentication is the sixth advantage. Nine studies (29%) indi-
cate that Blockchain technology will identify students and render digital certificates
authenticated. The seventh benefit is correlated with the tests of students. Eight
papers (26%) suggested that Blockchain technology might change how student per-
formance and learning results are evaluated [25].
Figures 1.1 and 1.2 represents the number of articles related to challenges and
benefits, respectively.

1.3.3 Challenges Faced during the Adoption of Blockchain

Technology in Education
Six different types of problems were illustrated in the reviewed papers (see Figure 1.1).

I. The first concern is the scalability of the Blockchain. Ten papers (32%) note
that the number of Blockchain network transactions contributes to block size
growth. Ultimately, the transaction latency will be increased.
II. The second issue relates to Blockchain privacy and security. Nine (29 percent)
papers discussed several concerns related to protection and privacy, for exam-
ple, malicious attacks and data leaks, by using Blockchain technology.
III. The cost of using this technology poses the third significant barrier to
Blockchain in education. Nine papers (29 percent) approached this problem
8 ◾ Blockchain for Information Security and Privacy

Figure 1.1 Number of articles related to challenges

Figure 1.2 Number of articles related to benefits [25]

 Blockchain Impact in Education and Society ◾ 9

from different angles: power computation costs [26]; changing the current
infrastructure; slow transaction time; and large-­scale data management costs.
IV. Trust is related to the fourth obstacle. Seven articles (23%) find that schools
are still unwilling to share their data in a Blockchain network.
V. A fifth challenge seen in four papers (13%) sets limits on the adoption of
Blockchain technology. These four posts make it difficult for educational insti-
tutions to decide which data and services should be delivered across the
Blockchain network. Two articles (6%) showed that immutability, a signifi-
cant characteristic of Blockchain, could challenge the implementation of
Blockchain technology for education. These papers explained that immutabil-
ity would make it impossible for educational institutions to enforce new infor-
mation storage rules or correct inaccurate data.
VI. The sixth problem concerns the immature existence of Blockchain technology.
One article (3%) stated that Blockchain still has immaturity problems, such as
weak usability and complicated setups. Data unavailability is also a problem
mentioned in one article (3%). This post will become inaccessible if data man-
agement is put in the user’s hands itself, and applications relying on this data
could impact. One final obstacle that has been illustrated in one of the papers
discussed (3%) is to weaken the importance of conventional school diplomas.
According to this report, Blockchain may allow students to serve as their life-
time education records, which may undermine education institutions’ central
position as certification agents.

1.4 Discussion
The publication trend shows that the use of Blockchain technology in education
is increasing worldwide because of the relatively limited number of studies found.
However, further research in this field is required. Overall, our three study question-
naires were supported by this systematic analysis of the 31 reports.

1.4.1 What Applications Have You Developed for

Educational Purposes with Blockchain Technology?
Although more and more Blockchain-­based applications for educational purposes
are being developed, to date only a few have been released to the public. These appli-
cations, discussed in the previous section, can be grouped into 12 major categories.
Each category deals with a trust, privacy, or safety problem in the educational set-
ting. Specific applications relating to certificates management were concentrated in
the first group. This group deals with all kinds of university credentials, transcripts,
qualifications for students, or other achievement styles. Many implementations have
been using Blockchain for digital certificates in the field of education. Much of the
10 ◾ Blockchain for Information Security and Privacy

performances of these certificates benefitted from the great faith and protection that
Blockchain technology offers.
Bdiwi et al. [27] introduced the Ubiquitous Learning Framework (ULS), which
uses Blockchain technology to ensure a high degree of safety when students work
together. U-­learning (Ubiquitous learning), therefore, include an immersive multi-
media environment to facilitate better teacher–student contact. Similarly, Bore et al.
[28] stressed the need to enhance schools’ educational climate by using Blockchain
as a School Information Platform (SIH). Such a framework may compile, evalu-
ate, and report information about school systems to improve decision-­making. The
fifth category involves the transfer of charges and credit. It includes applications
with similar functions for the transfer of credentials or fees between institutions,
organizations, and even universities because of Blockchain’s high level of protection
and confidence. Educational institutions typically rely on a third party to manage
and authorize credit or fee transfer. Fortunately, the Blockchain can be used to share
information and remove the necessity for a high level of protection of certain third
parties or intermediaries. The tokens used to demonstrate the transfer process were
used in the EduCTX method [29]. These tokens can be in any digital format for
learning units, including diplomas, certificates, and training. Each school has its
EduCTX address for safe transferring processes. Some demands related to the acqui-
sition of digital guard consent were addressed in category six. Blockchain helped
to improve the conventional method of obtaining consent from parents instead
of electronically. The confidence Blockchain technology can bring great reflection.
The decentralized design of Blockchain helps speed up the consent process with-
out affecting its privacy. Through the adoption of this technology the selection and
switching process between several students, parents, and educational institutions
would be facilitated greatly. The mechanism for allowing public schools, which want
to meet their students without parents’ permission for every single occasion, is sug-
gested by Gilda and Mehrotra [30].
Nespor [10] suggested a certification platform that would offset the school’s
use as a certification agent for the project. This request would allow higher educa-
tion providers or employers to provide students with a high degree of information
privacy with official certificates. Students could thus explicitly share it with some-
one asking for their official documents. Similarly, Han et al. [31] use Blockchain
technology’s decentralized existence to supply new Blockchain-­based educational
records to search and issue official transcripts or certificates. Individually, their data
can be accessed. However, the access and alteration of saved data in the system
under certain limited conditions and regulations are only allowable to accredited
businesses. Competencies and learning results management were based in the sec-
ond group. More focus has been given to developing Blockchain applications to
boost learning goals and enhance their skills. This will lead to better preparation and
enrich the field of education in a wide variety.
Farah et al. [17] have developed a framework for monitoring students’ success in
their multi-­learning work. For each particular operation, it adds into a block inde-
pendently of all traces. This learning block may also be viewed as self-­describing, as
 Blockchain Impact in Education and Society ◾ 11

all metadata on several activities is included. This application contributes to a high

degree of self-­efficiency.
Another Williams application [32] suggested a student learning environment.
Fast and direct support and constructive feedback are given. The application aims
to strengthen the learning process by integrating a broad range of skills, promot-
ing critical thinking, and problem-­solving through improved teamwork and com-
munication. Since Blockchain offers a decentralized network, open to all parties,
including students, faculty members, and public authorities, it builds a collaborative
climate with high protection and honesty.
Blockchain contributed to creating a nested permission mechanism that speeds
up the entire process and maintains privacy and consent control. Another category
is the management of competition, using Blockchain technology to help control and
improve competitive transactions’ quality and transparency. Wu and Li [33] have
introduced an e-­commerce operating sandbox competition model, a decision frame-
work that tests students’ technical skills and expertise. This framework was built for
an assessment system that tests and manages the operational skills of students.
Blockchain application software was built to assess students’ technical skills
based on their academic performance and achievement, which could then be given
to the interested industry. This method was developed to evaluate and analyze the
capabilities of students based on the Blockchain clustering algorithm [34]. Another
system, known as the management of copyrights, covers ownership rights when the
Blockchain is used. To enhance learning engagement, this application was created.
It provides top learners with virtual currencies based on predefined policies in the
Blockchain network. It offers incentives. Another group of applications listed in this
analysis is the review examination. The protection of auditing examinations papers
can be greatly improved by using a licensed Blockchain technique.
A decentralized analysis application called dAppER was created by Mitchell,
Hara, and Sheriff [35], which was built in line with quality assurance principles
when disrupting inspections by external examiners. DAppER was useful to monitor
the quality assurance processes based on their findings. Finally, it is the last applica-
tion group to promote lifelong learning. In enhancing lifelong learning dimensions,
such as improving skills, information, and productivity, Blockchain technologies
have played an important role.

1.4.2 What Benefits Will the Technology of Blockchain Bring

to Education?
Technology from Blockchain could offer significant advantages in education,
including high safety, low cost, better evaluations of the student, better data control,
enhanced accountability and transparency, authentication of identities, confidence-­
building, better management of student records, promoting career choices for
learners and enhancing interactivities among the learners. The use of Blockchain
guarantees data/transactions shared between the intended parties for authentication
and privacy. The design of peer topology in the Blockchain reduces the potential for
12 ◾ Blockchain for Information Security and Privacy

protection in the education sector. The consensus protocol was used in Comparison
to preserve the order of Application [27].
The ledger contents are checked, 12 of the 18 transactions, and there are decrease
in the risk of non-­secured transactions. The security of transactions is ensured
through the use of cryptographical hatches and signatures. The beauty of the
Blockchain system depends on the data themselves being protected and on whether
or not they are not damaged. To demonstrate this, Blockchain traces, and records of
learning were signed and authenticated [17]. There are different types of data related
to a learning activity in each learning block. To secure these data before sending it
to other participants, an encryption algorithm was implemented [36]. Furthermore,
the field of education will benefit greatly from the Blockchain for cost reduction.
The costs include storage, transaction costs, and the handling and preservation of
educational documents. Costs are included. The cost of conventional cloud-­based
storage is significantly reduced through using a public/private distributed network
which is accessible from anywhere. In general, it needs extra costs to check and
process academic certificates, while Blockchain reduces these costs [29]. The use of
Blockchain technology can also increase the evaluation of students. The Blockchain
was introduced with regard to calculating the learning output based on the results.
One of the significant characteristics and advantages of Blockchain is to restrict/
control access to stored documents. Transcripts, diplomas, or personal students/
teachers’ documents are included in educational records.
Arenas [37] demonstrated an excellent example in which a licensed Blockchain
platform was used to restrict access to academic credentials and limit them solely
to the intended participants. Only accredited organizations can access and change
stored data according to relevant regulations on the Blockchain platform. In addi-
tion, improving accountability and transparency are two benefits that Blockchain
technology has accomplished. Saving all educational and school information at one
readily available location [38] would make the use of these records more accountable
and transparent.
Bore et al. [28]establishes the framework for gathering and storing school
reports and records in the School Information Hub (SIH) based on Blockchain.
This framework helped make shared data more accessible and increase the flexibility
to interpret, compare, or distribute data. Blockchain also guarantees the validity and
identification of digital certificates. A digital curriculum was held in a Blockchain
in comparison [39]. The approved university signs this with a private key when
blocks have been formed. A cryptographic hash will then be provided to ensure
that nobody can interrupt the material. The university verifies these data’s valid-
ity, and use the initial institution’s key to confirm them. Trust is another benefit
of Blockchain technology. Only responsible parties can either add blocks to the
network, or access it. When engaging with authorities from various regions, trust is
a significant concern. Introducing stable and efficient systems based on Blockchain,
universities, or educational institutions can create a dedicated group. EduCTX was
launched in relation [40], which is a credit and grading Blockchain network. Tokens
 Blockchain Impact in Education and Society ◾ 13

are passed to responsible parties. These tokens depend on the credits that are col-
lected in the records of students. This contributed to the establishment of higher
education organizations of an internationally trusted and cohesive structure.
Moreover, the enhancement of the quality of student record management is
one significant advantage of Blockchain technology. Using Blockchain in educa-
tion, the probability of trade errors between intended parties may theoretically be
minimized. It uses a ledger to share data quicker and more effectively. Because of
its simplicity and accountability, digital records and certificates can be best handled
by Blockchain. The “UZHBC,” a Blockchain system operated at the University of
Zurich, and taking into account multiple stakeholder criteria, was implemented by
Gresch et al. [13]. Also, the Application will achieve productivity and accountabil-
ity. The Blockchain Framework for Advisory Advice is shared in 2019 with 13 of 18
institutions, students, and job agencies. [21]. Another benefit of using Blockchain
technology is helping learners’ career choices.
For the engagement in learning events, they used a learning incentive scheme.
The study tools in the peer-­to-­peer network can be shared across all nodes. All learn-
ing records are compiled into a block and can easily be tracked to track the learners’
interactivity and interoperability progress. What are Blockchain Technology’s prob-
lems in education? While Blockchain has demonstrated its value in an educational
environment, there are many challenges to overcome when using such technology
in education. In this review paper we have outlined these problems in some fun-
damental categories. While protection is the key feature of Blockchain technology,
it is impossible to eliminate the possibility of malicious attacks. It is a challenge to
provide both security and confidentiality at the same time, and when an individual
is at risk (through the online authorization of educational qualifications and certifi-
cates), the problem becomes more critical [31]. Many systems use private and public
keys to ensure privacy. However, since each public key’s available details are publicly
accessible, Blockchain cannot guarantee transactional privacy, and user transactions
can therefore be attached to disclose information for users.
Many studies have been carried out in attempts to address this problem. Several
researchers have suggested concepts, including Zilliqa [41], a new Blockchain
framework focused on a shared mechanism for disconnecting the large Blockchain
network through multi-­shard transactions. However, before the Blockchain can be
implemented on a large scale, scalability problems must be addressed effectively.
Blockchain is an evolving technology that must be incorporated into the existing
framework. But it can cost so much for adoption and execution. In addition to this
deployment expense, many Blockchain technologies are often costly for transac-
tions or computations [17]. The cost would increase as the block size increases with
users’ rise to handle and store such large student data. This approach would be dif-
ficult to use in conventional education systems without handling this growth and
running costs. To verify credentials, all entities must agree to share their records.
But how are all organizations prepared to share their data? The question remains.
In some cases, whether or not a DLT/Blockchain solution improves over a more
14 ◾ Blockchain for Information Security and Privacy

conventional, centralized directory is unclear. In addition, inadequate evidence

exists for business profits for educational institutions. There can be a considerable
risk of changing current educational practices, which affect both current systems
and the economy. How can accredited organizations take the risk of offering cer-
tificates to their students? If approved organizations do not consent to provide
such data, further difficulties may be generated in the authorization phase [40].
Policymakers for higher education or other policymakers must determine how
long, and indeed whether, the Blockchain can be trusted. The borders of all legal
entities are also absent from clarification. Some companies do not wish, for all of
their business processes, to embrace Blockchain technology. Without identifying
the potential benefits of Blockchain in conventional systems, a major challenge will
be established. It’s also important to respond to who will identify the limits that
this organization needs to pass technology and how many Blockchain technology
processes it can adopt.
The pace of Blockchain implementation in the education sector can be set in
early collaborations among the government or higher schools with the private sector
in regulatory compliance. The poor usability of its products, especially the earliest,
is another key problem with Blockchain technology. The language and perceived
immaturity of the technology are also lacking in clarification. In addition to this,
for security purposes, including the main key, public key, and recovery seeds, there
are several complicated settings that users will have to store. Blockchain has com-
pletely different terminology, which is confusing for consumers in the area of educa-
tion. The usability must be enhanced through the simple interfaces of Blockchain
products so that the framework is readily understood and used by persons without
technological expertise. Further studies would also be required in field usability test-
ing. Effective design and simple terminology in the education sector will lead to
Blockchain adaptation. Through further data protection checks, the data are inac-
cessible for sites based on the data of users. There is a balance between privacy and
data access.
Consequently, access to such data is more complicated as users handle their data
in Blockchain technology. Blockchain’s immutability makes it harder to edit data
until everyone decides to alter the ledger’s contents. This immutability can create a
dilemma for government entities needing data from their people for law and order.
Furthermore, Blockchain’s immutability function would not allow for modifications
to any framework already specified policies. Due to decentralized Blockchain tech-
nology, the centralized structure of any educational system can be affected. The
availability of a constantly aggregated directory will affect the value of the traditional
school credentials as in Blockchain. One of the best breakthroughs in recent times
is Blockchain technology. It will probably take a long time before the technology is
embraced widely. Since Blockchain implementation is related to many obstacles, it
must be tackled before using the technology in the education sector.
 Blockchain Impact in Education and Society ◾ 15

1.5 Future Research Areas

Blockchain has a lot more to offer and can offer significant benefits in other fields
of education. Collaboration and collaboration between educational institutions are
the prominent places where Blockchain can be very successful. As already men-
tioned, Blockchain is proving itself to be a safe and secure technology for tracking
the academic accomplishments of its students. This includes the certificates of stu-
dents and their different learning results and abilities. A future study will explore
how Blockchain could promote collaboration and partnership between educational
establishments. It would also assist educational institutions with mutual facilities,
services, and academic programs to reduce their operating costs. Job-­driven train-
ing is another field for the use of Blockchain technology. Work-­oriented education
is primarily aimed at delivering training courses that fulfill current and potential
recruitment needs and contribute to participating students’ jobs. In promoting this
form of education, Blockchain may play a crucial role. Businesses will share the
expertise and skills needed by Blockchain. This knowledge, and the design of train-
ing programs that respond to business needs, can be checked periodically by edu-
cational institutions. Students may also use Blockchain to consolidate their skills.
Agencies for recruitment may study the Blockchain, and assess and recommend
particular training programs to students based on their abilities.
Blockchain technology to accredit and enhance online education quality is also
a required field for future study. Although there are many benefits to online educa-
tion, including lower costs, accessibility, and versatility, several disadvantages are
also present. The accreditation and low quality are the greatest of these disadvan-
tages. Many educational institutions demand accreditation and deliver high-­quality
online courses. Blockchain could solve this problem. It can be used as a decentral-
ized forum for the safe and accurate exchange of information between students,
educational institutions, and accrediting agencies. Electronic Data Interchanges
(EDIs) can store information about their online classes, online programs, teachers,
and accreditation programs. After completing the course, students will share their
evaluations of both the framework and their teachers.

1.6 Conclusion
Taken as a whole, Blockchain will strengthen the education system in several ways.
The technology is ideal for the safe storage, sharing, and networking of informa-
tion. This advanced device will make many processes quicker, simpler, and safer. It
bridges the gap in credentials, security of copyright, and effective communication.
The Blockchain will soon benefit from these regular processes. New technology joins
our lives, and we can use it wisely to make progress in the right direction. Today’s
16 ◾ Blockchain for Information Security and Privacy

students are the ones living in a whole new world! We should help them, accept the
changes, and learn how to improve things.

References
[1] C. S. Wright, “Bitcoin: A peer-­to-­peer electronic cash system,” SSRN Electron. J.,
2019.
[2] S. Chowdhury, R. Govindaraj, S. S. Nath, and K. Solomon, “Analysis of the IoT sen-
sors and networks with big data and sharing the data through cloud platform,” Int. J.
Innov. Technol. Explor. Eng., 8, 405–408, 2019.
[3] R. Collins, “Blockchain: A new architecture for digital content,” Econtent, 39, 22–23,
2016.
[4] Y. J. Lee, and K. M. Lee, “Blockchain-­based multi-­purpose authentication method for
anonymity and privacy,” Int. J. Recent Technol. Eng., 8, 409–414, 2019.
[5] V. Gatteschi, F. Lamberti, C. Demartini, C. Pranteda, and V. Santamaria, “To
Blockchain or not to Blockchain: That Is the question,” IT Prof., 20, 62–74, 2018.
[6] S. Ølnes, J. Ubacht, and M. Janssen, “Blockchain in government: Benefits and impli-
cations of distributed ledger technology for information sharing,” Gov. Inf. Q., 34,
355–364, 2017.
[7] Chen, G., Xu, B., Lu, M. et al. “Exploring Blockchain technology and its potential
applications for education,” Smart Learn. Environ., 5, 1, 2018.
[8] R. J. Krawiecet al., “Blockchain: Opportunities for health care,” ComputerWeekly.com,
2016.
[9] A. Kamilaris, A. Fonts, and F. X. Prenafeta-­Boldύ, “The rise of Blockchain technology
in agriculture and food supply chains,” Trends Food Sci. Technol., 91, 640–652, 2019.
[10] J. Nespor, “Cyber schooling and the accumulation of school time,” Pedagog. Cult. Soc.,
27, 325–341, 2019.
[11] Y. Xu, S. Zhao, L. Kong, Y. Zheng, S. Zhang, and Q. Li, “ECBC: A high performance
educational certificate Blockchain with efficient query,” in Lecture Notes in Computer
Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in
Bioinformatics), 2017.
[12] M. Hori, and M. Ohashi, “Adaptive Identity authentication of Blockchain system-­the
collaborative cloud educational system,” in EdMedia+ InnovateLearning, 2018.
[13] J. Gresch, B. Rodrigues, E. Scheid, S. S. Kanhere, and B. Stiller, “The proposal of a
Blockchain-­based architecture for transparent certificate handling,” in Lecture Notes in
Business Information Processing, 2019.
[14] D. Lizcano, J. A. Lara, B. White, and S. Aljawarneh, “Blockchain-­based approach to
create a model of trust in open and ubiquitous higher education,” J. Comput. High.
Educ., 32, 109–134, 2020.
[15] E. Funk, J. Riddell, F. Ankel, and D. Cabrera, “Blockchain technology: A data frame-
work to improve validity, trust, and accountability of information exchange in health
professions education,” Acad. Med., 93, 1791–1794, 2018.
[16] N. Satheesh, G. R. K. Rao, S. Chowdhury, K. B. Prakash, and S. Sengan, “Blockchain-­
facilitated iot built cleverer home with unrestricted validation arrangement,” Int. J.
Adv. Trends Comput. Sci. Eng., 9, 5398–5405, 2020.
[17] J. C. Farah, A. Vozniuk, M. J. Rodriguez-­Triana, and D. Gillet, “A blueprint for a
Blockchain-­based architecture to power a distributed network of tamper-­evident learn-
ing trace repositories,” in Proceedings – IEEE 18th International Conference on Advanced
Learning Technologies, ICALT 2018, 2018.
 Blockchain Impact in Education and Society ◾ 17

[18] R. Nair, and A. Bhagat, “Feature selection method to improve the accuracy of classifi-
cation algorithm,” Int. J. Innov. Technol. Explor. Eng., 8, 124–127, 2019.
[19] B. Duan, Y. Zhong, and D. Liu, “Education application of Blockchain technology:
Learning outcome and meta-­diploma,” in Proceedings of the International Conference on
Parallel and Distributed Systems – ICPADS, 2018.
[20] W. Zhao, K. Liu, and K. Ma, “Design of student capability evaluation system merging
Blockchain technology,” J. Phys. Conf. Ser., 1168, 032123, 2019.
[21] Q. Liu, Q. Guan, X. Yang, H. Zhu, G. Green, and S. Yin, “Education-­industry coop-
erative system based on Blockchain,” in Proceedings of 2018 1st IEEE International
Conference on Hot Information-­Centric Networking, HotICN 2018, 2019.
[22] S. Chowdhury, P. Mayilvahanan, and R. Govindaraj, “Optimal feature extraction and
classification-­oriented medical insurance prediction model: machine learning inte-
grated with the internet of things,” Int. J. Comput. Appl., 1–13, 2020.
[23] G. Arora, P. L. Pavani, R. Kohli, and V. Bibhu, “Multimodal biometrics for improvised
security,” in 2016 1st International Conference on Innovation and Challenges in Cyber
Security, ICICCS 2016, 2016.
[24] S. Chowdhury, and P. Mayilvahanan, “A survey on internet of things: Privacy with
security of sensors and wearable network ip/protocols,” Int. J. Eng. Technol., 7, 200–
205, 2018.
[25] A. Alammary, S. Alhazmi, M. Almasri, and S. Gillani, “Blockchain-­based applications
in education: A systematic review,” Appl. Sci. (Switzerland), 9, 240, 2019.
[26] P. Sharma, R. Nair, and V. K. Dwivedi, “Power consumption reduction in iot devices
through field-­programmable gate array with nanobridge switch,” in Lecture Notes in
Networks and Systems, 2021.
[27] R. Bdiwi, C. DeRunz, S. Faiz, and A. A. Cherif, “A Blockchain based decentralized plat-
form for ubiquitous learning environment,” in Proceedings – IEEE 18th International
Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies, ICALT 2018, 2018.
[28] N. Bore, S. Karumba, J. Mutahi, S. S. Darnell, C. Wayua, and K. Weldemariam,
“Towards Blockchain-­ enabled school information hub,” in ACM International
Conference Proceeding Series, 2017.
[29] M. Holbl, A. Kamisalic, M. Turkanovic, M. Kompara, B. Podgorelec, and M. Hericko,
“EduCTX: An ecosystem for managing digital micro-­ credentials,” in 2018 28th
EAEEIE Annual Conference, EAEEIE 2018, 2018.
[30] S. Gilda, and M. Mehrotra, “Blockchain for student data privacy and consent,” in
2018 International Conference on Computer Communication and Informatics, ICCCI
2018, 2018.
[31] M. Han, D. Wu, Z. Li, Y. Xie, J. S. He, and A. Baba, “A novel Blockchain-­based edu-
cation records verification solution,” in SIGITE 2018 – Proceedings of the 19th Annual
SIG Conference on Information Technology Education, 2018.
[32] P. Williams, “Does competency-­based education with Blockchain signal a new mission
for universities?,” J. High. Educ. Policy Manag., 41, 104–117, 2019.
[33] B. Wu, and Y. Li, “Design of evaluation system for digital education operational skill
competition based on Blockchain,” in Proceedings – 2018 IEEE 15th International
Conference on e-­Business Engineering, ICEBE 2018, 2018.
[34] R. Nair, and A. Bhagat, “An Introduction to clustering algorithms in big data,” 559–
576, 2020.
[35] I. Mitchell, S. Hara, and M. Sheriff, “DAppER: Decentralised application for exami-
nation review,” in Proceedings of 12th International Conference on Global Security, Safety
and Sustainability, ICGS3 2019, 2019.
18 ◾ Blockchain for Information Security and Privacy

[36] A. Anand, A. Raj, R. Kohli, and V. Bibhu, “Proposed symmetric key cryptography
algorithm for data security,” in 2016 1st International Conference on Innovation and
Challenges in Cyber Security, ICICCS 2016, 2016.
[37] R. Arenas, and P. Fernandez, “CredenceLedger: A permissioned Blockchain for veri-
fiable academic credentials,” in 2018 IEEE International Conference on Engineering,
Technology and Innovation, ICE/ITMC 2018 – Proceedings, 2018.
[38] S. Saibabavali, B. Manikanta, S. N. Siddhu, and S. Chowdhury, “Application for
searching product nearby location,” Int. Res. J. Eng. Technol., 4, 2751–2755, 2017.
[39] I. Bandara, F. Ioras, and M. P. Arraiza, “The emerging trend of Blockchain for validat-
ing degree apprenticeship certification in cybersecurity education,” in INTED2018
Proceedings, 2018.
[40] M. Turkanović, M. Hölbl, K. Košič, M. Heričko, and A. Kamišalić, “EduCTX: A
Blockchain-­based higher education credit platform,” IEEE Access, 6, 5112–5127,
2018.
[41] M. Sharples, and J. Domingue, “The Blockchain and kudos: A distributed sys-
tem for educational record, reputation and reward,” in Lecture Notes in Computer
Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in
Bioinformatics), 9891, 490–496, 2016.
Chapter 2

Apply and Analyse

Several Blockchain
Techniques in IoT and
Big Data Sector
Nikhil Ranjan
Chandigarh University, Punjab, India

Sarvesh Kumar
Babu Banarasi Das University, Lucknow, India

Aakanksha Jain
Poornima University, India

Contents
2.1 Blockchain Technology ������������������������������������������������������������������������������20
2.1.1 Centralized, Decentralized and Distributed ������������������������������������21
2.1.2 Types of Blockchain �����������������������������������������������������������������������22
2.2 Blockchains and IoT Systems ��������������������������������������������������������������������23
2.3 Blockchain IoT Platforms ��������������������������������������������������������������������������24
2.4 Need of IOTA �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������24
2.5 Challenges to Address the Integration of Blockchain in IoT ����������������������25
2.5.1 Scalability ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������25
2.5.2 Security ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������26

DOI: 10.1201/9781003129486-2 19
20 ◾ Blockchain for Information Security and Privacy

2.5.3 Interoperability ������������������������������������������������������������������������������26

2.5.4 Legal, Compliance, and Regulation ������������������������������������������������26
2.6 Blockchain in IoT: Real-World Applications and Solutions ������������������������26
2.6.1 Supply Chain Logistics �������������������������������������������������������������������26
2.6.2 Automotive Industry ����������������������������������������������������������������������26
2.6.3 Smart Homes Industry �������������������������������������������������������������������27
2.6.4 Pharmacy Industry �������������������������������������������������������������������������27
2.6.5 Mediledger �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������27
2.7 Instances of Blockchain-Based Security Mix for IoT Systems ���������������������27
2.7.1 Secure Management of IoT Devices �����������������������������������������������27
2.7.2 Secure Firmware Updates in IoT Devices ���������������������������������������28
2.7.3 Trust Evaluation of a Trusted Computing Base in IoT Devices �������28
2.7.4 IoT Device Identity Validation �������������������������������������������������������29
2.7.5 Secure Data Store System for Access Control Information �������������29
2.7.6 Blockchain-Based Security Architecture for IoT Devices in
Smart Homes ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������30
2.7.7 Improved Reliability of Medical IoT Devices ���������������������������������30
2.8 Challenges and Future Research ����������������������������������������������������������������32
2.8.1 Conclusion ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������33
2.9 Blockchain in Big Data ������������������������������������������������������������������������������33
2.9.1 Digital Ledger as Fulfilling Career Chances ������������������������������������35
2.9.2 Blockchain and Big Data Advancements for Information
Investigation ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������37
2.9.3 Blockchain and Big Data: Protection Concerns ������������������������������37
2.9.4 Blockchain and Big Data: Community-Based Data to Forecast
the Price of Bitcoin ������������������������������������������������������������������������38
2.9.5 Blockchain Use Cases in Big Data ��������������������������������������������������38
2.10 Conclusion ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������39
References ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������40

2.1 Blockchain Technology
Blockchain innovation became a worldwide innovation in 2008 when it was utilized
for the Bitcoin digital currency. A Blockchain is a far-off object in information base
for taking care of a dynamical rundown of records called blocks. A square chain is
recreated in a decentralized design, where each center stores a copy of the entire
article or item. The geography of an advanced record is a chain of article since each
item, except for the principal object, the alleged Genesis Block or Object, contains a
connection to the former article realized as a hash of the past thing. Each square in
a Blockchain is likewise carefully time bound. The fundamental construction of the
Blockchain is shown in Figure 2.1.
 Apply and Analyse Several Blockchain Techniques ◾ 21

Figure 2.1 Blockchain Structure

2.1.1 Centralized, Decentralized and Distributed

Let’s try to understand them further with an example. Suppose Phil is an entre-
preneur who starts a business selling household furniture. In order to do this, he
set up various showrooms in the city to sell the furniture. He created a warehouse
to store all the furniture there and supply it according to the demands from the
showrooms. You can map this scenario to the centralised database system. Just as
the single ­warehouse stores all of the furniture, a central database stores all the data.
As Phil’s business expanded, he ventured out to multiple cities by setting up
various showrooms. Now Phil realised that having one warehouse will not suffice his
requirements, so he set up warehouses in all the cities. He created one warehouse in
each of the cities he ventured into. All of his furniture was stored there and distrib-
uted from there to the showroom in one city. Here this can be mapped to the decen-
tralised database system. Multiple warehouses hold the merchandise. Similarly, in a
decentralised database system all of the information is stored not in one place but in
multiple places or databases.
Listed below are the critical points of differences between the three types of
­system we have encountered to date.

Feature Centralized Decentralized Distributed

Security Low; Most Moderate; Data Highest; Very
vulnerable to can be rebuilt difficult to lose
data security from parallel data completely
issues servers if backed
up

Response Speed Bottlenecks can Quick response Fastest response

(*Applicable in cause response speed depending rates
case the networks speed to reduce on the
having large significantly distribution of
amounts of data) data

(Continued)
22 ◾ Blockchain for Information Security and Privacy

Feature Centralized Decentralized Distributed

Overheads and Low; Substantial Massive
Costs Redundancy is processing overheads
minimized overheads to to ensure
ensure proper appropriate
coordination coordination
among servers among multiple
nodes

Points of Failure / Single point of A limited Multiple points

Maintenance failure; Easy to number of of failure;
maintain points of failure; Difficult to
Maintenance maintain
more complex
than centralised
systems

Stability Highly unstable; Stability better The highest level

if the central than centralised of stability; single
server fails, systems; the node failure
entire network network can doesn’t affect the
collapses continue to network
operate at a
reduced level
if any one server
fails

Scalability Low scalability Moderately Infinitely scalable

scalable

Ease of Setup Easy to set up Difficult to set up Difficult to set up

2.1.2 Types of Blockchain
A major transformation is taking place in the Indian banking system, with all of the
banks coming together to form a common lending platform—the India Lending
Blockchain, under the leadership of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). In addition
to the banks, this platform will also incorporate credit bureaus, risk departments,
legal and technical panels and other stakeholders in the banking industry. Can this
Blockchain platform be purely democratic, such as the bitcoin network, or heavily
regulated, such as the SWIFT network?
A public permissionless Blockchain is free for anyone to join or leave. Bitcoin
Blockchain is the best example of a public permissionless network. This type of
network provides anonymity, immutability, and transparency, but compromises
on efficiency.
 Apply and Analyse Several Blockchain Techniques ◾ 23

A public permissioned Blockchain is an intermediary between private and

public networks. It values efficiency and immutability over transparency and ano-
nymity, where every participating member is aware of the identities of the other
members in the network. For example, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) network
in India will be most suitable for a permissioned Blockchain since it is operated by
known entities, and all participants are verified before they join the network.
However, the above-mentioned Blockchains will not be appropriate for the India
Lending Blockchain network. Permissionless Blockchains do not provide the iden-
tity of the participants and are lacking in efficiency; by contrast, public permissioned
Blockchains, although they restrict access, are still exposed to the public at large.
This can raise concerns over the security of the network since they do not provide
anonymity for the participants. So, for example, in the case of a GST network, you
wouldn’t want other taxpayers in the country to know the details of your tax returns.
A private Blockchain is one which is operated and managed by a single entity.
These types of Blockchains are generally applicable in the case of a conglomerate
where the parent company runs the network for the underlying group of companies.
In such a situation, they value efficiency over anonymity, transparency, and immu-
tability. If we consider the India Lending Blockchain, the RBI could be considered
as the entity which has supreme authority over the entire network. However, this
raises the question of concentrating too much power in the hands of a single entity.
A consortium Blockchain is largely similar to a private Blockchain, but it differs in
terms of who controls or manages the network. Instead of concentrating all of the power
into one entity, authority is distributed across two or more participants. This scenario
is also suitable for the India Lending Blockchain, where authority can be distributed
between RBI and a few of the major banks to ensure benefits for all of its members.
Let us summarize the key differences between the types of Blockchains:

Finality
Ano- Trans- Immu- Effi- Confi- Through-
Type Turnaround
nymity parency tability ciency dentiality put
time (TAT)

Public Yes Yes Yes No Low Low High

Low/ Medium/
Permissioned No No Yes Yes Medium
Medium High

Private No No No Yes Very high High Very Low

Consortium No Partial Yes Yes High High Low

2.2 Blockchains and IoT Systems

The traditional Internet of Things (IoT) framework is reliant on a shared engineer-
ing. Data are sent from the machine to the cloud where the information is ion-
ized utilizing methodical methodology and afterwards sent back to the IoT machine
24 ◾ Blockchain for Information Security and Privacy

(Rosenstock, Rohrbach, Nowak, & Girvetz, 2018). With billions of machines set to
join the IoT network in the future, this kind of united system has extremely restricted
ascendable, revealed billions of industry centers that unapproved meshwork security,
and will turn out to be amazingly unbalanced and moderate if outsiders need to,
more than once, check and affirm each miniature exchange between machines.

2.3 Blockchain IoT Platforms

There are numerous Blockchain standards focus on IoT are arising as the business gets
greater. One of the first Blockchain IOT standards is IOTA (Yuan & Wang, 2018).

2.4 Need of IOTA
i Authenticity
ii Integrity
iii Confidentiality
iv Micropayments
a. Authenticity: Authentication is a type of mechanism that organizations
use to protect their crucial asset or resources (Modha et al., 2011, pp.
62–71). While enabling the authentication organization to keep its net-
work or resource secure by permitting only authenticated users. Here
IOTA used the same concept for data exchange with help of token; if you
do not have no token then you are not able to be authenticated success-
fully. You should prove that you sent the data or your own IOTA token.
b. Integrity: When the user exchanges their data they have to insure about data
unchanged. For the purity of data block organization enable one more mech-
anism that is called integrity these all are cover in one principle who is name
is the Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability (CIA) triad or triangle. Here
Integrity is directly proportional to Confidentiality, which means that if your
data is not properly protected then this will offer a chance to breach the data
or lose Integrity (Kaelbling, Littman, & Moore, 1996, pp. 237–285).
c. Confidentiality: In this mechanism, you should use the concept of data
hiding using encryption methodologies (Xu et al., 2017, pp. 243–252). In
this method data should be completely changed or laymen language data is
coded, why we need this coding because our crucial data is freely traveling
in the public network only. Here is the chance of losing Confidentiality
that’s why we need to encryption method (Glaser, 2017, pp. 1543–1552).
d. Micropayments: It is a type of mechanism was we used a small amount of
IOTA token without paying any fees.
 Apply and Analyse Several Blockchain Techniques ◾ 25

Figure 2.2 CIA Tringle

2.5 Challenges to Address the Integration of

Blockchain in IoT
Extraordinary steps being developed have been made around there, yet Blockchain
methodology in IoT is a new trend and a few key difficulties should be defeated
before we will see the total advantage of Blockchain in IoT be figured it out.

1. Scalability
2. Security
3. Interoperability
4. Legal, compliance, and regulation

2.5.1 Scalability
Could Blockchain networks adapt to the sheer volume of information that is
relied upon to be created by IoT gadgets in the following 5–10 years without
hindering exchange speeds or the progression of information? Particle tends to
this issue explicitly by not utilizing a Blockchain-based suburbanized organiza-
tion, rather choosing their Tangle stage. Yet this is only one project (Georgeff,
Pell, Pollack, & Wooldridge, 1998, pp. 1–10). All the more notable cryptographic
record like Ethereum and Bitcoin have for quite some time been experiencing ver-
satility issues and are not appropriate for the measure of information IoT gadgets
are delivering.
26 ◾ Blockchain for Information Security and Privacy

2.5.2 Security
Urbanized advanced record networks give an undeniable degree yet what level of
shortcoming (assuming any) do the IoT gadgets make at where they interface with
the organization? Gadgets themselves should be secured in order to keep program-
mers from messing with them (Lotti, 2016 pp. 96–110).

2.5.3 Interoperability
Cross-fasten interoperability should be addressed and improved in the event that we
genuinely need to use the advantages of interconnected brilliant gadgets. If not, we can
end up with a circumstance in which we are associated with various secluded decentral-
ized organizations that function admirably for their motivation, yet cannot really con-
verse with different gadgets for which they were not explicitly planned (Dika, 2017).

2.5.4 Legal, Compliance, and Regulation

The issuance of obligation should be investigated intensively. How brilliant responsi-
bility plan of activities are managed on the planet outside of cryptographic record. We
have to be stipulated (Alharby & Moorsel, 2017, pp. 125–140). For instance, who
assumes liability if an IoT-associated clinical gadget embedded in a patient makes a
move dependent on certain keen agreement administers yet ultimately causes harm
to the patient? Is this the obligation of the maker or the IoT stage? In the event
that the IoT stage is cryptographic record-based, it will be suburbanized without a
concentrated element, so centering a responsible gathering may introduce an issue.

2.6 Blockchain in IoT: Real-World Applications and

Solutions
2.6.1 Supply Chain Logistics
A production network includes various partners, and this is fundamentally the moti-
vation behind why conveyance delay gets probably the greatest test in the inventory
network and coordination industry. This is the place at which Blockchain and IoT
enter. While IoT-empowered gadgets will permit organizations to follow shipment
development at each stage, Blockchain will make the whole exchange more straight-
forward. IoT sensors (for instance, movement sensors, GPS, temperature sensors,
and so forth) can offer insights regarding the shipment status.

2.6.2 Automotive Industry
Digitization has covered across all areas of the business, and the auto business is no
exemption. Today, auto organizations are utilizing IoT-enabled sensors to develop
Exploring the Variety of Random
Documents with Different Content
possessed in the monastery of Prato, the King of Bavaria sent his
son there to convince himself of that which the renown had spread
concerning this servant of God, and to recommend himself and his
kingdom to her prayers. The influence of S. Catharine in the world
had been deepest on those whom the author of her life so justly
calls her spiritual sons: Antonio de Gondi, Philippo Salviati, Giovanni-
Batisti de Servi, Lorenzo Strozzi, and many others.
The first and most celebrated of all was of the illustrious house of
Gondi. A branch of this family established itself in France at the
commencement of the XVIth century, and from it descended the
famous Cardinal de Retz.
The author, in devoting a short and interesting biography to some of
the spiritual sons of S. Catharine, shows us what salutary influence
she exercised over the chief persons of her country, and to what
degree of eminent sanctity she conducted those souls who sought
her direction. Faithful to all the suggestions of gratitude, she did not
forget that the great Apostle of Tuscany had prophesied the glory of
the monastery of Prato, and that twice she had been cured by his
supernatural intervention; therefore, she forwarded in every way
devotion to Savonarola. She charged Brother Nicholas Fabiani to
revise the writings of that celebrated Dominican, and she addressed
herself to Count Luis Capponi to procure a beautiful portrait of
Savonarola. She had for that illustrious character the tenderness of a
daughter and the admiration which a great life inspires in a soul
capable of comprehending it.
The last years of the life of S. Catharine was a union the most
intimate with God, a continual succession of ecstasies; her body was
on earth, but her soul was in heaven.
Towards the month of January, she fell sick, and died on Friday, the
2d of February, in the same year. Numerous miracles attested the
eminent sanctity of her life. She was beatified by Pope Clement XII.
on the 30th of April, 1732, and was canonized by Benedict XIV. on
the 20th of June, 1746.
This is an incomplete synopsis of the two volumes published by R. P.
Bayonne. This work, destined to make known one of the greatest
glories of the order, recommends itself to us by the grandeur of the
subject itself, and unites a solid doctrine to a brilliant style, and all
the charms of a perfect narration. We hope it will soon be translated
into English, that the American public may become more fully
acquainted with a book which takes an honorable place in modern
literature.

FOOTNOTES:

[137] Life of S. Catharine of Ricci, Religious of the Third Order of S. Dominic. By

R. P. Hyacinth Bayonne, O.S.D.
 THE GREATEST GRIEF.
FROM THE FRENCH OF MARIE JENNA.
Yes, Father! on the altar of the past
We may lay down a joy, too sweet to last;
See the flowers wither that our pathway strewed,
Incline our brows beneath the tempest rude,
Behold the rainbow glory fade away
That made fair promise for our opening day:
And yet, like that poor stricken plant, survive,
Blighted by frost, half dead and half alive,
Give to the desert winds our morning dream,
And still support our agony supreme!
We may behold, stretched on a bed of pain,
The form to which we minister in vain—
The last, the dearest, the consoling friend—
Count every moment of his weary end,
Kiss the pale brow, and watch each wavering breath;
Close the cold eyelids, murmur, "This is death!"
And still once more to life and hope belong.
O God! thou knowest through faith the heart grows strong
But, ah! another human soul to love
So fondly that we tremble as above
Its purity and beauty we incline,
Then suddenly to mark its depths divine
Shadowed and chilled, and from our Paradise
Perceive an icy, vaporous breath arise,
Whence blew sweet zephyrs, odorous with grace!
To seek in vain religion's luminous trace
Amid the ashes of her ruined shrine,
To pray, to weep, to doubt, to hope, divine
All but the truth; and at the last to dare
The long, deep look that tells us our despair,
Revealing vacancy, a faith withdrawn
Without a glance towards the retreating dawn,
Without a cry of grief, a sigh, a prayer—
O God! that loss is more than we can bear!
 NEW PUBLICATIONS.
Catholicity and Pantheism—All Truth or No Truth. An Essay
by the Rev. J. De Concilio, etc., etc. New York:
Sadliers. 1874.
This essay was first published in The Catholic World, and we are glad
to see it published in a separate volume. It is not a complete
treatise, but only one complete part of a treatise, the prima primæ
of a more extensive work, which we hope the author may be able to
write and publish. F. De Concilio is one of our most learned and
acute philosophers and theologians, a disciple of no modern clique
or innovating system, a vender of no patent contrivance of his own
for reconciling contraries, but a modest yet intrepid advocate and
defender of the old time honored scholastic wisdom of S. Thomas.
In its own line, his essay is superior to anything ever before
produced in this country, and we trust that due attention and a just
meed of praise will be awarded to it by the few who will be able to
understand it, in Europe as well as in America. If the author, who
has for a long time struggled to bring his work into the light, is left
in the lurch by everybody, as the learned Dr. Smith has been in
England with his splendid unfinished work on the Pentateuch, it will
be a sad proof of our intellectual degeneracy.
We will not make a critical review of F. De Concilio's argument in the
present short notice, but we think a few words in reply to some
criticisms which have been made, and may be repeated, either
publicly or in private, are almost imperatively called for.
The only one of these criticisms really worth any attention relates to
the argument from reason for the Trinity. It has been objected by
some very respectable theologians that the rational argument for the
Trinity professes to demonstrate from purely rational principles of
natural human intelligence the entire revealed mystery of the Trinity.
We admit frankly that, if the supposition is correct, the censure
founded on it, that the author has undertaken something
pronounced by Catholic doctrine impossible and unlawful, is just and
inevitable. We have never, however, understood the author in this
sense. We understand him to profess to argue in part from premises
given by revelation, and thus merely to explicate a theological
doctrine, and in part to furnish proofs from pure reason, first, that
the rational objections against the dogma are invalid; and, second,
that the dogma as disclosed by revelation taken as a philosophical
hypothesis, and it alone, satisfactorily solves certain difficult
problems respecting the divine nature, which otherwise would be
insoluble. So far as any direct proof of the distinction and proprieties
of the three persons in God is concerned, we understand that such
proof is put forward as inadequate and only probable, but by no
means either a complete or strictly demonstrative argument.
We think, therefore, with due submission to higher authority, that
the author escapes the censures of the Syllabus and the Vatican
Council, and attempts no more than has been done by Bossuet,
Lacordaire, and other great thinkers, who have never been thought
to have gone beyond the bounds of allowed liberty. We leave the
author, however, to defend and advocate his own cause, if it requires
to be further vindicated, and merely give this statement as an
explanation of our own reason for admitting his admirable articles
into this magazine without any alteration.
Another criticism, which the author himself has sufficiently
answered, imputed to him the doctrine of a necessary creation and
of optimism. It is only necessary to read his book carefully to see
how unfounded is this imputation.
Still more futile is an objection, urged by the author of the criticism
just now noticed, that F. De Concilio's opinion of the precedence of
the decree of the incarnation to the decree of the redemption of
fallen man is contrary to the opinion of S. Thomas and the schola
generally. Be it so! But what then? Must we follow the common
opinion, or that which is extrinsically more probable, if the contrary
opinion has a real intrinsic and extrinsic probability? Minime
gentium! F. De Concilio but follows S. Athanasius, Suarez, and other
authors whose works have passed the Roman censorship, against S.
Thomas; and he gives good intrinsic reasons for doing so. Let any
one who wishes to attack him do so by refuting his arguments; but it
is most untheological to find fault with his opinion as any less sound
and orthodox than the contrary. Let us be rigorous in censuring
opinions which are really unsound and untenable, but let us beware
of that carping and unfriendly spirit which has always been the bane
of theological discussions, and which throws out the imputation of
unsoundness without a certain and sufficient warrant of authority.
We do not concur in all the opinions which are held in the school
which F. De Concilio follows, and which must inevitably come out
with greater distinctness in the second part of his essay; but we
shall look forward with pleasure to see him develop and defend
them with his usual masterly ability, and we express our great desire
that he should write as much as his pastoral duties will permit on
philosophical and theological topics.
The Christian Trumpet; or, Previsions and Predictions about
Impending General Calamities, the Universal Triumph
of the Church, the Coming of Antichrist, the Last
Judgment, and the End of the World. Divided into
three parts. Compiled by Pellegrino. "The testimony of
Jesus is the spirit of prophecy," Apoc. xix. 10. Boston:
Patrick Donahoe. 1873.
It is beyond question among learned and devout Catholics that many
saints and pious servants of God in all ages have received private
revelations in which are contained predictions of events in a near or
remote future time to the recipients of this supernatural light. It is,
moreover, certain that a number of supernatural and miraculous
events of a most extraordinary character, and evidently intended as
warnings to the good as well as to the wicked, and some very
credible revelations respecting great judgments and great mercies of
God which are impending, have occurred in our own time. It must
be, therefore, not only interesting, but useful, to have authentic and
judicious accounts of grave and sacred matters of this kind published
and circulated among the faithful. A collection of this sort has been
published in France by a learned priest, the Abbé Curicque, with the
approbation of several bishops, entitled Voix Prophétiques; and
several other critical and judicious writers in Europe have published
books or articles relating to different persons and events of this
extraordinary class, which are truly valuable, instructive, and
edifying. The end and object of the compiler of the book before us
is, therefore, one which we must approve, although we are sorry not
to be able to give an unqualified commendation to the manner in
which he has executed his task. That he is a very pious and zealous
priest is evident at first sight. That he has laid down in general terms
the sound theological doctrine about the credibility of private
revelations, and made some very just reflections and timely
exhortations about the times in which we live, and the sentiments
we ought to cherish and put in practice in view of the certain
approach of the consummation of this world, is also obvious to any
reader of his book. The research and painstaking which he has used
in collecting his materials are very great, and the greatest part of
them are undoubtedly derived from respectable and trustworthy
sources of information, and therefore entitled to credit.
Nevertheless, as a whole, the compilation lacks the sobriety,
discretion, and authority which a book of this kind ought to have, in
order to give it proper credibility and weight with the general class of
readers, who cannot judge for themselves or discriminate properly,
and who need, therefore, that evidence should be given them by
reference to standard authorities, and by the guarantee of names
which are known to them and sufficient to warrant their belief in the
genuineness and credibility of such remarkable documents as those
contained in this compilation. An anonymous author, whose work
appears without any ecclesiastical approbation or recommendation
of persons known to the Catholic public, is entitled to no credit on
his own mere assertion. He must cite his authorities and witnesses,
and must exact no assent without giving a sufficient motive. A
translation of the work of the Abbé Curicque would, in our opinion,
have been much more likely to accomplish the end of the pious
author than a compilation like the one he has made. Moreover, there
are some things in this book, and these the very matters which
make the most exorbitant demand on the credulity of the reader, for
which no evidence whatever is furnished but the on dit of certain
unknown parties. Other things are very doubtful; some are
contradictory to one another. The author mixes up with the citations
he makes his own favorite view of the course of present and coming
events, especially about the schism and the anti-popes, whose
coming he forebodes; and a haze of the visionary, the wondrous,
and the improbable is thus thrown over the whole, which envelopes
even that which is really entitled to credence and pious veneration,
and tends to bring the whole into suspicion and discredit. The hint
thrown out that a certain cardinal, whose name might as well have
been given, since every one will know who is meant, may become
an anti-pope, is contrary to Christian charity and prudence; and, in
general, we must notice with regret that the author's zeal is sadly
lacking in discretion, and devoid of that delicate tact and
discernment, more necessary in one who handles such difficult and
perilous themes than in any other sort of writer or teacher of the
people.
It is not the fault of the author, who is a foreigner, that he has fallen
into many inaccuracies of language; but we think the publisher
might have secured a revision of the text by some competent
person, and that it would have been in better taste, as well as more
befitting the reserve and sobriety due to matters which are so very
serious, if he had made a less sensational announcement of the
book. It is, however, notwithstanding these drawbacks, certainly a
very curious collection of documents and pieces of information which
are interesting to know about, and contains so much that is truly
valuable and edifying that we hope it will not only gratify curiosity,
but also do good to a great many of its readers, by turning their
attention to the great subjects which it presents in such vivid colors,
and in a startling proximity to the present and coming events of our
own age.
In order to assist those of our readers who may wish to have some
direction to guide them in perusing this book with discrimination and
understanding, we will specify in part which are the most valuable
and trustworthy portions, which are less so, and which are
altogether without sufficient grounds of probability to entitle them to
any regard.
First, there are the prophecies of canonized or beatified saints,
whose authenticity is well established and their interpretation more
or less clear. These are the prophecies of S. Remigius, S. Cesarius, S.
Edward, S. John of the Cross, and the B. Andrew Bobola, S.J. In
regard to those of S. Bridget of Sweden and S. Francis of Paul, they
would be entitled to equal respect, if clearer evidence were
furnished of their authenticity than that given by the author—a
matter in regard to which we are not able to pronounce any
judgment. The prophecy of S. Malachy is one in respect to which
there is great difference of opinion. We give our own for what it is
worth, after some reading on the subject, in its favor. After these
come the prophecies of persons of recognized sanctity, which have
gained credit with judicious and well-informed persons competent to
form an enlightened opinion. The most valuable and trustworthy of
these are from the V. Holzhauser, the V. Anna Maria Taigi, the V. Curé
of Ars, F. Necktou, S.J., Jane le Royer, Sœur de la Nativité, and Mary
Lataste. The prophecies of the Solitary of Orval and of the Nun of
Blois have their warm partisans and opponents, the Abbé Curicque
being among their defenders. The Signora Palma d'Orio is a person
whose ecstatic state seems to be beyond reasonable doubt, yet it is
difficult to ascertain with certainty what she has really predicted; so
that what is reported from her, although interesting, is scarcely to be
considered as having evidence enough to be classed among
authentic predictions. The revelations made to Maximin and Melanie
appear to us to belong to a similar category, as worthy of the
greatest respect in themselves if we had an ample guarantee of their
genuineness and authenticity, but as not yet placed in a sufficiently
clear light to warrant a prudent assent. The remainder of the
contents we pass over without any special remark, with the
exception of those few matters which we have noted above as
making an exorbitant demand on the reader's credulity without any
evidence to warrant it. One of these points is the story of David
Lazzaretti, another about Zoe Tonari, "destined soon to be a second
Joan of Arc," and the most censurable of all is what is said about
Antichrist having been born in 1860, and other things connected
with the same. (Pp. 265-268.)
In connection with the wonderful narrative of David Lazzaretti the
author has woven a very flimsy texture of conjectures out of the
materials furnished by some of the curious documents which he cites
for his hypothesis of a schism and two anti-popes to come
immediately after the death of Pius IX. It is with regret that we are
compelled to touch on these subjects in such a superficial manner;
they require careful handling. Excessive and imprudent credulity in
those who have faith and piety is certainly unreasonable, and may
be blamable and hurtful.
But the utter incredulity and dogged refusal to admit anything
miraculous and supernatural which is exhibited by our modern
illuminati is the very ne plus ultra of unreason, and the acme of
wilful, despicable, and wicked folly. The most sensible, as well as the
most pious rule is, to follow the church without reservation in all that
she teaches and sanctions, and in those things concerning which she
is silent to follow her saints and doctors, who are the most
enlightened of all men.
Spain and Charles VII.; or, "Who is the Legitimate
Sovereign?" By General Kirkpatrick. Published under
the sanction of the Carlist Committee. London: Burns,
Oates & Co. 1873. (New York: Sold by The Catholic
Publication Society.)
This timely and clearly-written plea for Don Carlos places beyond a
question his right to the Spanish throne. The Bourbons succeeded to
the Spanish throne through the marriage of Louis XIV. with the
Infanta of Spain, eldest daughter of Philip IV. Her grandson, Philip V.,
became king on the failure of direct issue from his grand-uncle,
Charles II., the son of Philip IV. The Salic law, confirming the
succession to the heirs male of the royal house, was established by
Philip V. and his cortes, with the consent of all the great powers, in
order to prevent the union of the French and Spanish crowns, the
King of Spain relinquishing all his rights as a French prince. This law
has never been validly repealed. Christina of Naples, the queen of
Ferdinand VII., a most ambitious and unprincipled princess, had this
law violently and illegally set aside in order to make way for her
daughter Isabella to ascend the throne. The base and illegal nature
of the intrigues by which Don Carlos and his family were exiled from
Spain and deprived of their just rights is fully exposed by Gen.
Kirkpatrick. Charles V., the brother of Ferdinand VII., was succeeded
in his claim to the throne by his son, Charles VI., in 1845, who, dying
in 1861 without issue, was succeeded by his brother, Don Juan, who
abdicated October, 1868, in favor of his son, the present Don Carlos,
who is now twenty-five years of age, and married to the niece of the
Comte de Chambord. Charles V. would undoubtedly have succeeded
in regaining his throne but for the shameful interference of Louis
Philippe of France, and the English crown. The party of Christina was
composed of all the liberals, communists, and enemies of the
church, and Isabella was merely tolerated by the sound and Catholic
majority of the nation from necessity.
The clergy, the ancient nobility, the peasantry, and most of the
friends of order and religion in all classes, desire the restoration of
Don Carlos to the throne, which belongs to him by the laws of the
Spanish constitution. It is very true that a mere restitution of
legitimate monarchy is not a certain guarantee for good government,
and that many of the Bourbons have been bad rulers. It is,
nevertheless, the only hope for Spain; and the character and
principles of Don Carlos give reason to hope that, taught by
adversity and trained by experience to value the sound Catholic
traditions of Spain, he will prove to be a good sovereign. We wish
him, therefore, most cordially, a speedy and complete triumph,
which we believe he is in the way to win.
Essays on Various Subjects. By His Eminence Cardinal
Wiseman. In Six Volumes. Vols. V., VI. New York: P.
O'Shea. 1873.
These two volumes complete the series of the famous cardinal's
Essays. The Catholic reader is under great obligations to Mr. O'Shea
for the reprint of these splendid compositions, the London edition
being out of print. It is to be regretted, however, that the references
adapted to that edition should not have been changed to suit the
present issue. Having indicated one fault, we might as well inquire of
the publisher why he will use perfumed paper in his books? Though
not a serious objection, it is an annoying one to reasonably
fastidious readers, as we happen to know.
Vol. V. opens with an article on Spain, which takes up more than half
the book. It is superfluous to remark that this essay is of peculiar
interest at the present hour. Next we have a vindication of Pope
Boniface VIII.—a very important subject. Then a review of
Montalembert's S. Elizabeth of Hungary. The three remaining articles
are specimens of the writer's scholarship as an antiquarian. Vol. VI.
contains ten essays. The first treats learnedly of S. Peter's chair at
Rome. A plate accompanies the article. The fifth administers
flagellation to Charles Dickens for certain things in his American
Notes; and also to Mrs. Trollope, for her Visit to Italy. Then follow
four other essays on the subject of Italy: "Italian Guides and
Tourists," "Religion in Italy," "Italian Gesticulation," and "Early Italian
Academies." The volume concludes with "Sense vs. Science."
We are reminded, while noticing the completion of this work, of an
article on the Donatist schism, "Catholic and Anglican Churches" (p.
199, v. iii.), which "caused in no slight degree" the doubt which first
crossed the mind of Dr. John Henry Newman "of the tenableness of
the theological theory on which Anglicanism is based," and which we
cannot, therefore, do better than commend to the serious attention
of all honest and conscientious Episcopalians.
 Bible History, with Maps, Illustrations, Examination
Questions, Scriptural Tables, and Glossary. For the use
of Colleges, Schools, Families, and Biblical Students. By
the Rev. James O'Leary, D.D. Permissu Superiorum. ✠
John, Archbishop of New York. New York: Sadliers.
1873.
We cordially recommend this excellent and beautifully printed
manual to all those for whom the title states it has been prepared by
its learned author. It will be a favorite, especially with young people
and children, whether used as a class or a reading book, particularly
on account of its pictures, which are generally good, and many of
which are remarkably fine. Such a book, which, so far as we know, is
much the best of the kind, must do incalculable good; and we hope
it will be appreciated by parents and teachers, so as to find its way
into every family and school throughout our country and elsewhere,
wherever Catholics are found who use the English language. The
author has done well by taking into account those generally received
facts and hypotheses of natural science which have a bearing on
topics handled, in their connection with the facts and truths of
revelation, by the sacred writers. His statement, however, that the
surface of the earth bears on it the marks of perturbations caused
by the Deluge, and otherwise not capable of scientific explanation, is
not one which geologists would admit, and we doubt very much its
correctness.
On page 16 the author observes that, "as the divinity of Christ was
doubted before the Council of Nice, so these [deutero-canonical]
books and passages might have been doubted before the decision of
the church."
The cases are not parallel. The divinity of Christ was an article of
faith before the definition of the Council of Nice, and no good
Catholic could doubt it. But the canonical authority of certain books
was not an article of faith before it was defined, and might have
been, as it indeed was, doubted by good Catholics.
We think the author would improve his work by inserting a good,
succinct historical account of the events which occurred between the
period of the Books of the Machabees and that of the Evangelists.
Moreover, we do not like the termination "eth" in the index, which is
unnecessarily quaint and old-fashioned, or approve all the rhymes
which precede the chapters, although some of them are not without
a quaint poetic vigor, and most of them are terse and ingenious,
likely, therefore, to strike the fancy and stick in the memory of
children.
It is seldom that we take the trouble to make so many criticisms on
a book. This one, however, is so good and so very important that we
would like to see the author continue to improve it in every new
edition, and therefore offer our suggestions in the most kindly and
respectful spirit to the reverend and learned author, adding to what
we have already said in commendation of the Bible History that it is
not merely a good school-book, but a work of really sound and solid
scholarship. We are very glad to see that the author has sought and
obtained the approbation of the ecclesiastical authority before
publishing his work, and we trust that his good example will be
generally followed, and, moreover, that the law of the church will be
enforced in every diocese and in all cases, requiring this approbation
for all books treating de rebus sacris.
Meditations for the Use of the Clergy, for every day in the
year. On the Gospels for the Sundays. From the Italian
of Mgr. Scotti, Abp. of Thessalonica. Revised and
edited by the Oblates of S. Charles. Vol. II. From
Septuagesima Sunday to the Fourth Sunday after
Easter. London: Burns & Oates. 1873. (New York: Sold
by The Catholic Publication Society.)
We have already noticed the first volume of these invaluable
Meditations, and need not repeat what we then said. The present
volume fully sustains the promise of the first, and makes us look
eagerly for the completion of the work.
 The Illustrated Catholic Family Almanac for the United States
for the Year of our Lord 1874. Calculated for different
Parallels of Latitude, and adapted for use throughout
the Country. New York: The Catholic Publication
Society.
The season does not bring a brighter, pleasanter, or more useful and
necessary book than this cleverly executed little work. From cover to
cover the reader finds something to catch the eye and attract him in
every page. For a wonder, the title is an exact index of the book; it is
illustrated, and remarkably well illustrated; it is Catholic, and it is a
family almanac, which the children will pore over for hours, delighted
with the pictures of famous Catholic men, women, and places, and
the short but well-written sketches accompanying them; which their
parents will consult in order to find all the information concerning
feasts, fasts, and the like necessary for the coming year; which all
will read who wish to obtain accurate information on matters relating
to the spread and progress of the church, particularly in the United
States. When this has been said, there is really nothing more to say,
as far as recommending this almanac to Catholics goes; but there is
a great deal to be said concerning this present number, which in
many respects is an improvement even on its predecessors. For
instance, in the matter of filling in a page with short but pithy
notices of Catholic works, in the excellent but necessarily incomplete
tables of statistics of the Catholic Church in the United States, and in
the fulness of the Catholic chronology for the past year, which forms,
as it were, the headlines of Catholic history in this country—all this
displays enterprise, and the excellence of the whole speaks tact and
care on the part of the editor.
Glancing at the illustrations, we find portraits and sketches of Abp.
Odin; Rt. Rev. Michael O'Connor, first bishop of Pittsburgh and of
Erie; Bishop Fitzpatrick, of Boston; Father Southwell, S.J., whose
poems and writings are now being collected and given to the public;
Father Lacordaire, Father De Smet, and others. Here is a head of
Manzoni, in another place the Comte de Montalembert; here John
Banim's well-known face looks out, and here is genial Thomas D'Arcy
McGee smiling at us. In another place is a portrait of S. Ignatius in
armor, and a sunny picture of his birth-place. Miss Honora Nagle,
foundress of the Ursuline Order in Ireland, Mother Mary of the
Incarnation, Blessed Margaret Mary Alacoque, Church of Our Lady of
Lourdes, of S. Stephen of the Mount, Abbey of Cluny, and others,
form subjects for illustrations and sketches, all careful, accurate, and
finished. Looking again at the Almanac, and then considering its
price, the publishers may congratulate themselves on having
accomplished that miracle of presenting to a Catholic public
something which is cheap and excellent throughout.
Songs from the Southern Seas, and Other Poems. By John
Boyle O'Reilly. Boston: Roberts Brothers. 1873.
These Songs have a rare charm of novelty about them. Australia is a
land yet unconquered to the muse, but evidently as fruitful in poetic
themes as any of "the shores of old romance."
Our author is peculiarly at home, perhaps, in the scenes from which
his book is named. Yet some of the "other poems" are of
considerable merit; such as "A Wail of Two Cities" (Chicago and
Boston), "The Wreck of the Atlantic," and "The Fishermen of
Wexford."
We thank him for his modest volume, and hope to hear from him
again.
Recent Music and Musicians, as described in the Diaries and
Correspondence of Ignaz Moscheles. Edited by his
wife, and adapted from the original German by A. D.
Coleridge. New York: Henry Holt & Co. 1873.
Born in 1794, and living to the advanced age of seventy-six, this
distinguished musician had the opportunity of cultivating an intimate
acquaintance, or of holding more or less correspondence, with all
the composers, artists, singers, and patrons of music who flourished
during his long life. Reference is made in this exceedingly interesting
memoir to the names of over five hundred of these, furnishing to the
reader a vast amount of information concerning musicians and their
works in this century. The book is written in an agreeable, vivacious
style, and is altogether the best of the several memoirs of the kind
which have appeared.
The Story of Wandering Willie. New York: Scribner,
Armstrong & Co. 1873.
We have been attracted by the beauty and pathos of this simple
tale, and by its high moral tone, in which it contrasts favorably with
many more pretentious works.
The Life of the Most Rev. M. J. Spalding, D.D., Archbishop of
Baltimore. By Rev. J. L. Spalding, S.T.L. New York: The
Catholic Publication Society. 1873.
We had contemplated an extended notice of this very interesting
biography, but were unable to finish it in time for the present
number. We fancy, however, that few intelligent Catholics who are
made aware of the subject, author, and superior mechanical
execution of the volume, will delay securing possession of a copy.

BOOKS RECEIVED.

From Burns & Oates, London (through "The Catholic

Publication Society," New York): Meditations for the
Use of the Clergy. From the Italian of Mgr. Scotti. Vol.
ii., 1873. 12mo, pp. viii. 280.
From Weed, Parsons & Co., Albany: Fourteenth Annual
Report of the Superintendent of Insurance, Fire and
Marine, pp. lviii.-463. Life and Casualty, pp. lvii.-249.
8vo, 1873.
From Scribner, Armstrong & Co., New York: Lombard
Street: A Description of the Money Market. By Walter
Bagehot. 12mo, pp. viii. 359.
From Kelly, Piet & Co., Baltimore: Little Manual of the
Holy Angels' Sodality. 1873, 24mo, pp. 68.
From P. O'Shea, New York: Mrs. Herbert and the Villagers.
By the Comtesse E. M. De Bondenham. 2 vols, in 1,
18mo, pp. xii. 341, vii. 318.
From D. & J. Sadlier & Co., New York: The Irish on the
Prairies, and other Poems. By Rev. Thos. Ambrose
Butler. 12mo, pp. 161.
 THE
CATHOLIC WORLD.
VOL. XVIII., No. 106.—JANUARY,
1874.[138]
 THE PRINCIPLES OF REAL BEING.
All knowledge which is truly scientific rests on demonstration, and all
demonstration depends on principles or axiomatic truths. But,
besides the principles of demonstration, there are other principles on
which not only the knowledge, but the very existence of things, and
their origin and constitution, essentially depend. These latter
principles are nowadays less known than the former, as we may
argue from the fact that they are scarcely ever alluded to in modern
speculations; and yet they undoubtedly have the best claim to the
attention of philosophical minds, for it is in such principles that the
real germs of all true science are hidden. For this reason, we have
determined to offer our readers a short but accurate summary of the
philosophical doctrine on principles; which, if presented, as we shall
try to do, with becoming perspicuity, will prove to be a kind of
popular introduction to metaphysical studies.

I. NOTION OF PRINCIPLE.

By the name of principle philosophers designate that whence

anything originally proceeds in any manner whatever: Id, unde
aliquid quomodocumque procedit. This definition implies that there
are many different manners of proceeding, and consequently many
different kinds of principles. And so it is. Aristotle, however, shows
that principles of all kinds can be reduced to three classes; that is, to
those principles of which a thing consists, those through which or
out of which a thing is made, and those by which a thing is known:
Primum, unde aliquid est, aut fit, aut cognoscitur.[139]—Arist.
Metaph. 5.
The first class comprises the principles through which a thing is, viz.,
by which the thing is intrinsically constituted. These principles are
called constituent or intrinsic principles, and are always present by
their own entity in the thing principiated; as the matter in the body,
and the soul in the animal.
The second class contains the principles through which a thing is
made. These principles serve to account for the origin of the thing,
and are called extrinsic principles, because they are not present by
their own entity in the thing principiated. Thus, the motive power of
the sun is not, by its own entity, in the planets to which it imparts
movement, but in the sun only; and the medical art is not in the
person who has been cured through it, but in the doctor. There is,
however, in the planets something proceeding from the motive
power of the sun, and in the person cured something proceeding
from the medical art, as every one will acknowledge. Whence it is
obvious that the extrinsic principles by their very principiation must
leave some mark or vestige of themselves in the thing principiated.
The third class consists of those principles through which any
conclusion is made known. These principles are general truths,
which are made to serve for the demonstration of some other truth,
and are called principles of science.
Among the principles of this third class we do not reckon the
principles from which the first apprehension and immediate intuition
of things proceeds; to wit, either the power through which the
object makes an impression on the cognoscitive faculty, or the
faculty itself through which the object is apprehended. Our reason is
that these principles, thus considered, do not form a class apart. The
power of the object to make its impression on the subject is an
extrinsic principle of knowledge, and ranks with the principles of the
second class above mentioned; whilst the power of the subject to
perceive through the intelligible species is an intrinsic principle of
knowledge, as well as the species which it expresses within itself,
and, therefore, is to be ranked among the principles of the first
class. Accordingly, the third class is exclusively made up of those
principles which serve for the scientific demonstration of truth; and
this is what Aristotle himself insinuates, at least negatively, as he
gives no instance of principles of this third class but the premises by
which any conclusion is made known.
Before we advance further, we have to remark that, in metaphysics,
the first principles of science are assumed, not as a subject of
investigation, but as the fundamental base of scientific
demonstration. Thus, the principles, Idem non potest simul esse et
non esse,[140] Non datur effectus sine causa,[141] Quæ sunt eadem
uni tertio sunt eadem inter se,[142] and such like, though usually
styled "metaphysical" principles, are not the subject of metaphysical
investigation, but are simply presupposed and admitted on the
strength of their immediate and incontrovertible evidence. Such
principles are perfectly known before all metaphysical disquisition,
and need not be traced to other principles. On the other hand,
metaphysics, which is the science of reality, deals only with the
principles of real beings; whence it follows that the principles of
demonstration, which, like the conclusion deduced therefrom, exist
in the intellect alone (and therefore are beings of reason, and
principiate nothing but other beings of reason), are not comprised in
the object of metaphysical inquiry. Hence, the only principles which
metaphysics is bound to investigate are those that belong to the first
and second class above mentioned; that is, the intrinsic and the
extrinsic principles of things: Primum unde aliquid est, and primum
unde aliquid fit.[143]
Principles and causes are often confounded, although it is well
known that they are not identical. Hence, our next question is: In
what does a cause differ from a principle?
It is commonly admitted that all causes are principles, but not all
principles causes; which evidently implies that a cause is something
more than a principle. In fact, when we use the word "cause," we
wish to designate a being in which we know that there is a principle
of causation; whence it is evident that the common notion of cause
implies the notion of principle, and something else besides—that is,
the notion of a subject to which the principle belongs. Thus, we say
that the moon causes the tides by its attractive power; the moon is
the cause, and the attractive power is its principle of causation. In
like manner, we say that an orator causes great popular emotion by
his eloquence; the orator is the cause, and his eloquence is his
principle of causation.
From these instances it would be easy to conclude that the
difference between a cause and a principle lies in this, that the
cause is a complete being, whilst the principle is only an
appurtenance of the cause. But as we know from theology that there
are principles which cannot be thus related to causes, we cannot
consider the above as an adequate and final answer to the question
proposed.
Some of the best modern scholastics account for the difference
between cause and principle in the following manner: A principle,
they say, is conceived to differ from a cause in two things: first, in
this, that a cause always precedes its effect by priority of nature,
[144] whereas a principle does not require such a priority; secondly,
in this, that the cause does not communicate its own identical nature
to its effect, whereas the principle can communicate its own identical
nature to that which it principiates.[145] From these two differences
a third one might be gathered, viz., that the effect has always a real
dependence from[146] its cause, whilst the thing principiated does
not always really depend from its principles.[147] These grounds of
distinction between principles and causes have been thought of, with
the avowed object of paving the way to explain how the Eternal
Father can be the principle, without being the cause, of his Eternal
Son, and how the Father and the Son can be the principle, without
being the cause, of the Holy Ghost.
But we must observe that there are four genera of causes and of
principles: the efficient, the material, the formal, and the final; and
that the two differences alleged by these writers between principle
and cause do not apply to principles and causes of the same genus,
but are applicable only when some principle belonging to one genus
is wrongly compared with some cause pertaining to another genus.