Abstract
Integrity and non-repudiation of operational messages exchanged between logistics operators are critical for dispute resolution and regulatory compliance. This paper presents TDI (Trusted Document Infrastructure), a blockchain-based system that adds a tamper-evident authentication and audit layer on top of existing message exchange infrastructure, without modifying legacy systems. TDI combines bidirectional ECDSA signatures (the sender signs to prove authorship, the receiver signs to establish non-repudiation of delivery) with smart contract storage on an EVM-compatible blockchain. A configurable dual-storage strategy assigns on-chain or off-chain storage by message criticality, balancing security against cost. We implemented and evaluated TDI in a Portuguese port and railway logistics project using real data (approximately 41,000 messages per month). The mixed strategy reduces on-chain storage cost by 77%. Validation on both public Polygon and private Hyperledger Besu networks confirms portability across EVM platforms. TDI lets operators ensure message authenticity and accountability without disrupting established workflows.
Paper Type
Short Paper
DOI
10.62036/ISD.2026.204
Tamper-evident Blockchain-based System for Message Authentication and Storage
Integrity and non-repudiation of operational messages exchanged between logistics operators are critical for dispute resolution and regulatory compliance. This paper presents TDI (Trusted Document Infrastructure), a blockchain-based system that adds a tamper-evident authentication and audit layer on top of existing message exchange infrastructure, without modifying legacy systems. TDI combines bidirectional ECDSA signatures (the sender signs to prove authorship, the receiver signs to establish non-repudiation of delivery) with smart contract storage on an EVM-compatible blockchain. A configurable dual-storage strategy assigns on-chain or off-chain storage by message criticality, balancing security against cost. We implemented and evaluated TDI in a Portuguese port and railway logistics project using real data (approximately 41,000 messages per month). The mixed strategy reduces on-chain storage cost by 77%. Validation on both public Polygon and private Hyperledger Besu networks confirms portability across EVM platforms. TDI lets operators ensure message authenticity and accountability without disrupting established workflows.
Recommended Citation
da Cunha, P.R., Carreira, F., Estima, J., Barata, J. & Marques, J.(2026). Tamper-evident Blockchain-based System for Message Authentication and Storage. In M. Valenta, B. Mannová, R. Pergl, A. Przybylek, M. Lang, H. Linger, C. Schneider, N. Iivari, & E. Insfran (Eds.), Making ISD Sustainable: Reloaded with AI and Automation (ISD2026 Proceedings). Prague, Czech Republic: Czech Technical University in Prague. ISBN: 978-80-01-07585-2. https://doi.org/10.62036/ISD.2026.204