Digital Document Verification using Blockchain

Abstract

The Blockchain technology is used in the Digital Document Verification using Blockchain projecttoimprovethesecurity,authenticity,andintegrityofdigitaldocuments. Conventionaldocument verification techniques are frequently ineffective, expensive, and susceptible to fraud or manipulation. In ordertoovercomethesedifficulties,thissystemstoresthecryptographichashvaluesofdocumentsin a decentralised ledger, guaranteeing that once they are recorded, they cannot be changed or modified. A hash of the document is created at the moment of verification and compared to the hash that has alreadybeensavedontheblockchainaspartoftheverificationprocess.Thedocumentisunalteredand legitimate if the hashes match; if not, any differences suggest possible changes or manipulation.By lowering reliance on centralised authority and making unauthorised alterations immediately identifiable, this technique greatly improves document security. The solution provides more openness and confidence by utilising the decentralised and irreversible characteristicsof blockchain technology, guaranteeing that all verification records are permanent and available for auditing purposes.In industries including education, healthcare, law, finance, and government agencies that need strong document verification, the method is very advantageous.Additionally, automating verification procedures improves efficiency and dependability by cutting down on the time and effort needed for manualauthentication.Inadditiontoreducingthedangersofdocumentfraud,thisinitiativepromotesa safer and more reliable digital document management environment

Introduction

Overview

In the digital age, traditional document verification methods (e.g., manual checks, physical seals, centralized databases) are increasingly inadequate due to their inefficiency, susceptibility to fraud, and lack of scalability. Blockchain technology offers a secure, decentralized, tamper-proof alternative. This project introduces a blockchain-based system to verify digital documents across various industries, improving security, trust, and efficiency.

Key Advantages of Blockchain for Document Verification

1. Immutability & Tamper Detection:

   • Each document is hashed and recorded on the blockchain. Any tampering alters the hash, making forgery detectable.

2. Decentralization & Trustless Verification:

   • Eliminates reliance on central authorities. Anyone can verify authenticity without needing third-party validation.

3. Security & Fraud Prevention:

   • Uses cryptographic hashing (e.g., SHA-256) and digital signatures for document authenticity.

4. Transparency & Auditability:

   • All transactions are timestamped and publicly verifiable, allowing real-time auditing.

5. Efficiency & Cost Reduction:

   • Replaces manual, cross-border verification with instant, automated checks.

6. User Ownership & Self-Sovereign Identity:

   • Empowers users to control access to their documents via decentralized identity systems.

Literature Review Highlights

• Cerberus: A blockchain credential verification system using smart contracts for revocation and privacy-preserving features like selective disclosure.

• PublicEduChain: Enables students to own and share academic data via smart contracts on Ethereum.

• Other Studies: Emphasize the benefits of immutable certificate issuance, identify research gaps in privacy, standardization, and system adoption.

Gaps in Existing Research

1. Scalability Issues:

   • Public blockchains suffer from high latency and costs, limiting mass deployment.

2. Privacy Concerns:

   • Public transparency conflicts with document confidentiality; lack of ZKPs or advanced encryption methods.

3. Lack of Interoperability:

   • Various blockchain systems use incompatible protocols, making cross-platform verification difficult.

Proposed Methodology

To overcome these challenges, a hybrid system combining blockchain and decentralized storage (IPFS) is proposed:

1. Hybrid Blockchain + IPFS:

   • Store document hashes on Ethereum/Polygon and actual files on IPFS via Infura API.

2. Smart Contract Verification:

   • Solidity-based smart contracts handle hash storage and validation via Web3.js.

3. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC):

   • Smart contracts define roles (Owner, Verifier, Exporter) to manage document access with MetaMask for authentication.

4. Document Retrieval & Validation:

   • Documents retrieved via CID from IPFS are hashed and compared with blockchain records to verify integrity.

5. Decentralized Identity Integration (DID):

   • Verifiable Credentials (W3C standard) link documents to trusted identities.

6. Layer 2 Optimization:

   • Solutions like Polygon, Optimistic Rollups, and zk-Rollups are used to reduce costs and improve performance.

Conclusion

For digital document authentication in a variety of businesses, the Blockchain- BasedDocument VerificationSystemoffersa safe, open, andeffectivesolution. It guarantees that papers are tamper-proof and verifiable in real time by utilising immutability, decentralisation, and cryptographic hashing. By cutting out middlemen, the approach lowers expenses, cuts down on verification time, and eradicates fraud. Because of its scalability and interoperability, it may be used to a variety of industries, including government services, healthcare, education, and the legal profession. This blockchain-based method transforms documentverificationbyincreasingautomation,security,andtrust,openingthedoortoamore dependable and secure digital future.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Devika Sawant, Suvarna Potdukhe, Vaishnavi More, Prathamesh Apsingekar, Ashutosh Mahadik. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.