Immutability, a hallmark of blockchain technology, ensures data integrity and security. But how does a block of data on a blockchain become tamper-proof?

In this blog post, we will find out what factors contribute to the locking of Data on a blockchain.

What is a Blockchain?

Chiefly, blockchain is a method of recording information that makes it impossible or difficult for the system to be changed, hacked, or manipulated.

A blockchain is a distributed ledger that duplicates and distributes transactions across the network of computers participating in the blockchain.

Read More How Does Hashing Help Secure Blockchains?

What is a Blockchain Technology?

Basically, blockchain technology is a structure that stores transactional records, also known as the block, of the public in several databases, known as the “chain”, in a network connected through peer-to-peer nodes.

What is a Digital Ledger?

In simple words, the digital ledger is like a Google spreadsheet shared among numerous computers in a network ,in which the transactional records are stored based on actual purchases.

The fascinating angle is that anybody can see the data, but they can not corrupt it.

Every transaction in this ledger is authorized by the digital signature of the owner, which authenticates the transaction and safeguards it from tampering.

Hence, the information the digital ledger contains is highly secure.

Read More Sharing Data-How It Affects Orgs?

What are 4 types of Blockchains?

Different use cases require different types of blockchain. There are four main types of Blockchain.

a.Public blockchains

b. Private blockchains

c. Consortium blockchains

d. Hybrid blockchains

What is a Data block in Blockchain?

The block is placed in a blockchain where data is stored . In the case of cryptocurrency blockchains, the data stored in a block are transactions.

These blocks are chained together by adding the previous block’s hash to the next block’s header.

Read More Riot Blockchain-What Is It?

How does Data get stored in a blockchain?

Blockchain stores data in the form of blocks that are linked together with cryptography. Each block in the blockchain is identified by a distinct cryptographic hash.

Which is also used to identify the previous block. With each block, a new transaction is recorded stored, and added to the database.

What is a Block Time?

Block time refers to the time taken to generate a new block in a blockchain. Different blockchains have different block times, which can vary from a few seconds to minutes or may be in hours too.

Shorter block times give faster transaction confirmations but the result has higher chances of conflicts but the longer block times may increase the timing for transaction confirmations but reduce the chances of conflicts.

Where is Blockchain Data Stored?

Blockchain data is stored on a decentralized public ledger. The data on the ledger is stored in chunks called blocks, which are chained together using cryptography.

Every block has a unique cryptographic hash as an identifier along with the previous block in the blockchain.

The miner who finds a solution for the Proof of Work puzzle (such as solving an equation by submitting correct answers) is rewarded with newly created bitcoins and has to add that block to the blockchain.

Read More Blockchain Gaming- What Is The Future?

What are the Different Storages to Store Data in the Blockchain?

a. Hashing

This is a cost-effective way of storing the data in the blockchain. In this method, only the hash value of the data is stored in the blockchain. The raw data is stored in the blockchain. The raw data is stored in the file system and the hash id of the blockchain will be attached to the raw data.

b.TiesDB

This is an Ethereum-based decentralized application (dApps) to store non-financial data and search through their documents. This allows advanced search and document modifications.

c.BigChainDB

This database allows developers and enterprises to deploy blockchain proofs-of-concept, platforms, and applications with a blockchain database.

This offers immutable data storage built-in asset support, low latency, powerful query functionality, and high throughput. Thus this is a database with blockchain characteristics.

d.Distributed Database

Distributed databases like MongoDB, Apache, and Rethink DB are used to store data.

They are quick and versatile, but they are not Byzantine-verified. This means any hacker can corrupt the entire information base as all the hubs of the information completely trust one another.

e.Decentralized Cloud Storage

It allows for the storage of static data where data is not stored on the company server but instead on the devices of the renters.

This storage is used online thus making them fast and efficient but they are costly too.

f.Interplanetary File System

This is a blockchain technology that breaks up data into shards and stores them in multiple instances.

It is a peer-to-peer solution where the files get downloaded only if the person needs them. Thus, this is the address-dependent storage solution.

Read More Blockchain Applications-What Are They?

What are Different Types of Blockchain Store Data?

Blockchain technology can store data in a number of different ways. It all depends on the blockchain, but some examples include;

1. Bitcoin

The data includes the entire history of all the Bitcoin transactions. If one node has an error then it uses thousands of other nodes as a reference point to correct itself.

2. Ethereum

It uses a trie data structure to store data. It separates the temporary data from the mined transaction data. The data is added to the transaction trie only when the transaction is confirmed.

There are 3 types of trie in Ethereum for data storage.

a. State Trie

This global state trie is constantly updated and it contains the key-value pair for every account which exists on the Ethereum Network.

b. Storage Trie

This stores the contract data. Each Ethereum account has a storage trie and the 256-bit hash value of the storage trie’s root node is stored in the global state trie.

c. Transaction Trie

Each Ethereum block has its own separate transaction tire. A block contains many transactions.

3. Corda

This is an open-source blockchain platform that does not use the global broadcast. It can cut the record-keeping cost while at the same time streamlining the business operations.

Here, the communication between the peers is verified without the need to download the whole data due to the use of graphs and persistent queues.

Read More Bitcoin Blockchain – How Many Amazing NFTs?

What Three Things Are in a Block of a Blockchain?

Chiefly, Blocks are the basic constructs of Blockchain. Each block contains a set of transactions, metadata, and mining information.

How do Blocks work in a Blockchain?

Each block contains a hash (a digital fingerprint or unique identifier), timestamped batches of recent valid transactions, and the hash of the previous block.

The previous block hash links the blocks together and prevents any block from being altered or a block being inserted between two existing blocks.

How data is secure in Blockchain?

Blockchain technology’s data structures have inherent security qualities because they are based on consensus, cryptography, and decentralization principles.

Each new block of information connects to all the previous blocks in a way that it’s nearly impossible to tamper with.

Who creates Blocks in Blockchain?

Miners create new blocks or the chain through a process called mining. In a blockchain, every block has its own unique nonce and hash, but also references the hash of the previous block in the chain. So mining a block is not easy, especially on large chains.

Read More Future-Proof Blockchain- What Is It?

How many Blocks are in one Blockchain?

There is not any maximum number of blocks because new blocks are added at every chain. With Bitcoin, on average, every 10 minutes, a new block is added.

Where is Blockchain stored?

Blockchain data is stored on a decentralized public ledger. The data on the ledger is stored in chunks called blocks, which are chained together using cryptography. Every block has a unique cryptographic hash as an identifier along with the previous block in the blockchain.

How does a Block of data on a Blockchain get locked?

Blocks are data structures within the blockchain database, where transaction data in a cryptocurrency blockchain are permanently recorded.

A block records some or all of the most recent transactions not yet validated by the network. Once the data are validated, the block is closed.

Read More Blockchain Technology- What Are The Best Blockchain Courses?

What is the purpose of a data block?

A data block shows the level of detail in which data is written to the hard disk or read from the hard disk.

Data blocks may contain multiple data records, but a single data record may be spread across several data blocks.

What are the 5 main types of Data?

a.Public data

b.Private data

c. Internal data

d.Confidential data

e.Restricted data.

Read More Bitcoin Halving- Will It Trigger Next Bull Run?

A block of data on a blockchain gets locked through a process called “mining”. This process occurs in the following steps.

1. Transaction Validation

The first step is to validate the transactions within the block, ensuring they are legitimate and follow the rules of the blockchain network.

2. Block Creation

Next, the validated transactions are grouped together into a new block, which is added to the existing chain of blocks.

3. Proof Of Work

To lock the block, a miner needs to solve a complex mathematical puzzle called Proof of Work (PoW). This requires significant computational power and energy.

4. Adding Nonce

The miner adds a random number, called a “nonce”, to the block. This nonce is used as an input in the mathematical puzzle.

5. Hashing

The miner then calculates the hash (a unique string of characters) of the block using a cryptographic hash function. The hash should meet a certain set by the network, usually a specific number of leading zeroes.

6. Puzzle Solution

If the hash meets the criteria, the miner has successfully solved the puzzle. If not, the miner changes the nonce and tries again until they find a valid hash.

7. Block Verification

Once the puzzle is solved, the block is considered locked. Other nodes in the network verify the block’s validity by checking the hash and confirming it meets the required criteria.

Consensus

If the majority of the network nodes accept the block as valid, it gets added to the blockchain. And the miner is rewarded with newly minted cryptocurrency or transaction fees.

Read More Bitcoin S-Chain- What Is It?

How many types of Data Blocks are there?

There are main two types of Data Blocks.

Data blocks are the most common blocks in the database.

1. Record Manager (RM) blocks and
2. RM Chain Blocks.

The only difference between the two is that RM blocks are considered full (which means that you can not add more records) and RM Chain blocks are not full.

Is it Possible to change a block in Blockchain?

Each block on the blockchain contains its unique hash and the unique hash of the block before it.

Therefore, the blocks can not be altered once the network confirms them.

Read More Bitcoin ETFs-Will US SEC Approve It?

Can we edit the Block in Blockchain?

It is nearly impossible to change records in blocks since all of the blocks are linked through the inter-relations of all of their hashes. Any modification in a block anywhere in the chain invalidates all subsequent blocks.

What is Immutability in a Blockchain?

First & foremost, Immutability is the bedrock of trust and security in the blockchain realm.

Blockchain’s immutability safeguards data from unauthorized tampering, making it ideal for financial transactions, supply chain management, and record keeping.

The immutability of blockchain safeguards data from unauthorized tampering, making it ideal for financial transactions, supply chain management, and record keeping.

The Magic of Distributed Ledgers

Data on a blockchain is replicated across a vast network of computers. Thereby, creating a shared, tamper-evident record. Any attempt to alter data must overcome this distributed consensus, a near-impossible feat.

Read More 5 Top Trends in Bitcoin Ordinals .
Why You should hold a Bitcoin.

What are Cryptographic Hashes?

Each block contains a unique cryptographic hash, a digital fingerprint of its contents. Any modification to the data would alter this hash, breaking the chain’s integrity.

Consensus Mechanism

Chiefly, blockchain networks employ consensus mechanisms, like Proof of Work, to validate transactions and ensure data consistency across the networks.

Different mechanisms are used to reach a consensus; the most popular for cryptocurrency is proof-of-work (PoW), with proof-of-stake (PoS) becoming more so because of the reduced energy consumption compared to PoW.

Can Private Data be stored on Blockchain?

Just because blockchain uses cryptography does not mean the data that is stored on it is automatically encrypted or made private.

Encrypting the data prior to putting it on the blockchain is an option.

Can Data be removed from the blockchain?

Once something is stored on the blockchain, it can not be deleted or changed. It’s a system of records that can only be added to, not edited or deleted. Traditional, transactional databases are designed to be updated.

Read More Mining Pool-What Is Bitcoin Mining?

Conclusion

The entire point of using blockchain is distributed trust and the ability to verify transactions in a trustless environment.

While this sounds compelling, the reality is that it is used to encrypt data with public access. If you wish to have complete control over your data, you will need to keep it local or use an external device.

Read More Bitcoin Lightning Network Platform?

FAQs