Topic: Block.co Open Source Self-Verifiable Certificates Anchored on Bitcoin (Read 74 times)

Don't Trust, Verify! Block.co, a pioneer in Blockchain Credentialing applications, transforms the way organizations leverage blockchain technology in the issuance, self-verification and revocation of digital records.

At Block.co we have developed a platform which enables organizations to securely issue certificates by leveraging Blockchain technology, thus making them tamper-proof and instantly and independently verifiable.  A simple to use by anyone product, with no smart contracts, private keys or tokens involved in the process. We are a company powered by the University of Nicosia in Cyprus, the global leader in Blockchain education and research and the first globally to issue academic diplomas on the Blockchain as early as 2014. The University of Nicosia acknowledged the problem for when it comes to forged credentials and the vulnerability of certification documents. We often rely on third parties, such as universities or employers to store, verify, and validate our credentials. It’s a slow and complicated process, which is one reason why fraud in this field is a recurrent issue.

Our solution has already been battle-tested since 2014. We abide by the principles of Resiliency, Open Access and Simplicity – Ease of Use. With our solution, there is no dependency on a single vendor. Publishing and validating protocol are open-source and can be easily viewed on GitHub. We are securing all our certificates on the most secure blockchain to date, the Bitcoin Blockchain. There are no apps required, no wallets, no downloads or updates. Our whole solution is embedded within a PDF file. Recipients of academic certificates can manage, share or even duplicate the PDF at will. We chose the PDF format as it is both human and machine readable. These PDFs can be validated by anyone on the Bitcoin Blockchain very easily, by uploading the file on one of our online validators. The issuer or publisher of the certificate can easily revoke or edit these certificates, while there is also an option for certificates expiration. As blockchain allows the addition of new entries only, any re-issues, revocation will leave behind a complete audit trail of actions. We designed our solution with ease of use in mind. Anyone capable of using a PC can use our solution, without specific knowledge on blockchain technology, private keys and so on.

Our vision is to eliminate certification fraud in the industries we serve, while remaining at the forefront of technological developments in the sector.

How it Works:

A. Issuance:
1. Metadata relating to the certificate is attached to a PDF file (optional)
2. A fingerprint of that metadata is included in a Bitcoin transaction
3. The transaction details are added back to the metadata on the PDF file
4. The certificates are disseminated to owners

B. Validation
1. Go to an online validator found on issuer’s and other websites (i.e. https://validator.block.co/verify)
2. Upload the PDF file
3. Get an immediate response as to its validity

C. Revocation
1. An additional transaction is created on the Blockchain that invalidates previous records without erasing audit trail

We are looking for open source developers to further research and add to our Open Source Code found here: https://github.com/UniversityOfNicosia/blockchain-certificates

For more information, please visit our website at https://block.co/