Traditional
data and operations management across organizations and on the web can involve
inefficient transaction reconciliation between siloed databases, password
fatigue, and single points of failure. This often results in concerns over
interoperability, security, and privacy of data that affect both users and
businesses.
Blockchain
technology has enabled a new software paradigm for managing digital ownership
in partial or zero-trust environments. It uses tokens to conduct transactions,
exchange verifiable data, and achieve coordination across organizations and on
the web. Data models with varied capabilities and scopes have been defined to
issue tokens. By allowing for the design of programmable digital assets that
can represent different forms of ownership, these models enable users to store,
move, and even create value on top of shared or public digital infrastructures.
NIST
announces the release of Draft
NISTIR 8301, Blockchain
Networks: Token Design and Management Overview, which provides a
high-level technical overview and conceptual framework of token designs and
management methods. The document highlights the different types of tokens and
how they are held in custody. It then examines transaction management under
three fundamental aspects: validation, submission, and viewability.
Infrastructure tools used to develop applications that integrate blockchain
networks and second layer protocols are also reviewed. Finally, the paper
presents deployment scenarios and use cases for tokens before concluding with
potential breakthroughs in privacy-preserving verifiable data exchange. The
terminology, concepts, properties, and architectures introduced in this work
can facilitate understanding and communications among business owners, software
developers, cybersecurity professionals within an organization, and individuals
who are or will be using such systems.
A public comment period for this
document is open
through October 30, 2020. See the publication
details for a copy of the document and instructions for
submitting comments.
NOTE:
A call for patent claims is included on page iv of this draft. For
additional information, see the Information
Technology Laboratory (ITL) Patent Policy–Inclusion of Patents in ITL
Publications.
ITL
Patent Policy:
https://www.nist.gov/itl/information-technology-laboratory-itl-patent-policy-inclusion-patents-itl-publications