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Securing blockchain-based crowdfunding platforms: an integrated graph neural networks and machine learning approach

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Abstract

Blockchain-based crowdfunding is a form of crowdfunding that uses blockchain technology to facilitate the fundraising process. Blockchain technology provides a decentralized, transparent, and secure platform for crowdfunding by allowing the creation of smart contracts and the issuance of digital tokens. However, Blockchain-based crowdfunding systems suffer from a few security issues, such as the possibility of fraud, risk assessment, smart contracts bugs, and cyber-attacks. This paper proposes integrating artificial intelligence models to prevent smart contract vulnerabilities and anomaly detection. Thus, we will deploy Graph Neural Networks models to protect Blockchain-based crowdfunding platforms from smart contracts-based attacks such as reentrancy and infinite loop attacks. Then, we will use a machine learning model for anomaly detection and prevent attacks such as advanced persistent threats, malware, and distributed denial of service attacks. An experimental study is conducted in a real crowdfunding platform to prove the feasibility of our framework and to draw lessons from the real-life implementation of such models. Our results show that our approach can accurately identify both normal and abnormal traffic and classify correctly specific types of attacks. We also evaluate the performance of our framework using various evaluation metrics to ensure its effectiveness in detecting anomalies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ESAIP Ecole d’Ingenieur, CERADE, Angers, France

    Karim Zkik

  2. International University of Rabat, TICLab, College of Engineering and Architecture, Rabat, Morocco

    Anass Sebbar & Oumaima Fadi

  3. EDHEC Business School, Roubaix, France

    Sachin Kamble

  4. International University of Rabat, BEARLab, Rabat Business School, Rabat, Morocco

    Amine Belhadi

Authors
  1. Karim Zkik
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  2. Anass Sebbar
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  3. Oumaima Fadi
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  4. Sachin Kamble
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  5. Amine Belhadi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sachin Kamble.

Appendix

Appendix

1.1 Table of acronymes

Acronyms

Explanation

BT

Blockchain technologies

BBC

Blockchain-based crowdfunding

GNN

Graph Neural Networks

ML

Machine Learning

DoS

Deny of service

DDoS

Distributed denial of service

AI

Artificial intelligence

RBCP

Reward-based crowdfunding project

APT

Advanced persistent threats

IDPS

intrusion detection and prevention systems

GCN

Graph Convolutional Network

GIN

Graph isomorphism network

GAT

Graph attention network

EVM

Ethereum virtual machine

ESC

Ethereum smart contract

VSC

VNT chain smart contract

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Zkik, K., Sebbar, A., Fadi, O. et al. Securing blockchain-based crowdfunding platforms: an integrated graph neural networks and machine learning approach. Electron Commer Res 24, 497–533 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10660-023-09702-8

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