Beccak: Combination of Blockchain and Keccak Algorithm for Improved Digital Signature Performace

Ensuring data integrity and security is a pressing challenge in the digital era, with digital certificates playing a crucial role in addressing these concerns. However, traditional methods of verifying and validating digital certificates often face limitations in terms of efficiency and vulnerability to manipulation. This research proposes a blockchain-based architecture for digital certificate verification and validation to address these challenges, focusing on improving detection accuracy and processing efficiency. The methodology follows a structured three-stage process: requirements planning, workshop design, and implementation. The system integrates a digital signature, the Keccak256 hash algorithm, and blockchain technology to detect modifications to digital certificates under various scenarios, such as file compression, data alterations, image insertion, and file rotation. Comprehensive testing demonstrated a 100% accuracy rate in detecting changes to digital certificate files, showcasing the reliability of the proposed architecture. Furthermore, the integration of blockchain technology significantly enhanced performance. The average time for signature generation using blockchain was 2.11 seconds, compared to 3.23 seconds without blockchain. Similarly, validation times were reduced from 2.11 seconds without blockchain to 0.22 seconds with blockchain, indicating a marked improvement in efficiency. The research concludes that the proposed blockchain-based architecture effectively strengthens the security and integrity of digital certificates while enhancing processing speed. Minor changes to a certificate were reliably detected, ensuring robust protection against tampering. Future research should explore the performance of alternative hash algorithms within blockchain networks to further optimize the system’s efficiency and security. This architecture establishes a strong foundation for secure digital certificate management.