Preserving Whistleblower Anonymity Through Zero-Knowledge Proofs and Private Blockchain: A Secure Digital Evidence Management Framework

This research presents a novel framework and experimental results that combine zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) with private blockchain technology to safeguard whistleblower privacy while ensuring secure digital evidence submission and verification. For example, whistleblowers involved in corporate fraud cases can submit sensitive financial records anonymously while maintaining the credibility of the evidence. The proposed framework introduces several key innovations, including a private blockchain implementation utilising proof-of-work (PoW) consensus to ensure immutable storage and thorough scrutiny of submitted evidence, with mining difficulty dynamically aligned to the sensitivity of the data. It also features an adaptive difficulty mechanism that automatically adjusts computational requirements based on the sensitivity of the evidence, providing tailored protection levels. In addition, a unique two-phase validation process is incorporated, which generates a digital signature from the evidence alongside random challenges, significantly improving security and authenticity. The integration of ZKPs enables iterative hash-based verification between parties (Prover and Verifier) while maintaining the complete privacy of the source data. This research investigates the whistleblower’s niche in traditional digital evidence management systems (DEMSs), prioritising privacy without compromising evidence integrity. Experimental results demonstrate the framework’s effectiveness in preserving anonymity while assuring the authenticity of the evidence, making it useful for judicial systems and organisations handling sensitive disclosures. This paper signifies notable progress in secure whistleblowing systems, offering a way to juggle transparency with informant confidentiality.