Trust no one and prosper in blockchain: trustlessness as a core basis, zero trust for everything else

Many say that blockchain technology is controversial to traditional systems and has significant benefits in data and value procession because of clear and immutable data storing, faster transaction speed, lower fees and pure p2p transactions opportunity with no intermediaries, which leads to the system users empowering. Most of these arguments, which are truly impactful, as well as many blockchain qualities which provide those arguments realization (such as decentralized architecture, consensus mechanisms and proof concepts), are derivatives of the main blockchain value providing point: trustlessness.

By shifting trust (and the need to rely on) from centralized parties to the algorithmic level of the decentralized blockchain system itself, many of the very benefits we value are achieved in the blockchain concept. The altered business logic of the blockchain system compared to the logic of traditional business processes provides a higher level of security and speed of results, as well as a reduced service costs by reducing the steps along the path to get from point A to point B.

Trustlessness is a new trust

Trustlessness is a foundational principle that sets blockchain technology apart from traditional systems. By eliminating the need for trust in a centralized authority, blockchain networks provide transparency, security, and empowerment to participants. 

Trustlessness enables trustworthy transactions, disintermediation, the development of decentralized applications, and individual empowerment. As blockchain technology continues to evolve, trustlessness will play a crucial role in reshaping trust in the digital era and unlocking the full potential of decentralized systems.

How does trustlessness work in blockchain?

Trustlessness is achieved through a combination of cryptographic algorithms, consensus mechanisms, and decentralized networks. These elements work together to ensure the integrity and transparency of transactions, eliminating the need for blind trust in a central authority.

• Blockchain systems utilize cryptographic algorithms to secure transactions and data. Public-key cryptography ensures that participants can verify the authenticity of transactions and establish secure communication channels without relying on a trusted intermediary.

• Consensus mechanisms, such as proof-of-work (PoW) or proof-of-stake (PoS), enable participants to collectively agree on the validity of transactions and the state of the blockchain. Through consensus, trustlessness is achieved as participants reach agreement without relying on a central authority's decision-making power.

• Blockchain networks are decentralized, meaning that no single entity has control over the entire system. Instead, the network is distributed across multiple nodes, each maintaining a copy of the blockchain. This decentralization ensures that no single point of failure or manipulation can compromise the trustlessness of the system.

Web3 x Web2 backwards compatibility

Since the rich values blockchain logic concept provides are truly useful, blockchain technology itself is kinda hard to interact with for common users. And to start generating business value and profits blockchain technology needs to be integrated into business models and get delivered to an audience. To incorporate blockchain into the business processes and to simplify and enrich the usage of blockchain-based projects, blockchain technology is usually wrapped in a variety of applications packaged in user-friendly interfaces and built on familiar (non-blockchain) technologies. 

This move, while leading to greater opportunities for blockchain projects and their users, results in the implementation of Web3 technology in Web2 infrastructure. As the paradigm shifts, so do the principles. And since blockchain core principles are controversial to common business principles, "backwards compatibility" becomes an urgent and sophisticated challenge. Nevertheless, traditional Web2 cybersecurity has a strategy that is perfectly aligned with the blockchain's trustless principle - Zero Trust concept.

Zero Trust is a security strategy that aims to enhance the security posture of an organization's networks and systems. In a Zero Trust model, no user or device should be trusted by default, regardless of their location or network. 

This approach assumes that every user, device, and network resource is treated as potentially untrusted and must be verified and continuously monitored. Every access attempt should be thoroughly authenticated and authorized before accessing any resources or data. The core principle of Zero Trust is to authenticate and authorize users and devices at every access attempt.This is achieved through various security measures such as multi-factor authentication, strong encryption, and continuous monitoring of user behavior and network traffic.

Zero Trust also emphasizes the principle of least privilege, which means granting users and devices only the minimum level of access required to perform their tasks. This reduces the potential attack surface and limits the impact of any potential security breaches.

Implementing a Zero Trust strategy involves several key components, including:

• Identity and Access Management: IAM is a framework of policies, processes, and technologies that organizations use to manage and control access to their systems, applications, and resources. IAM ensures that the right individuals have the appropriate level of access to the right resources at the right time. The primary goal of IAM is to establish and maintain the digital identities of users, devices, and services within an organization. This involves creating and managing user accounts, assigning roles and permissions, and enforcing authentication and authorization mechanisms.
• Network Segmentation: Network segmentation is the practice of dividing a network into smaller, isolated segments or subnetworks to enhance security, improve performance, and control network traffic. It involves creating logical boundaries within the network to restrict the movement of data and limit the impact of potential security breaches. The primary goal of network segmentation is to minimize the attack surface and contain potential threats by separating different types of network resources and restricting access between them. By dividing the network into smaller segments, organizations can implement more granular security controls and reduce the lateral movement of threats within the network as well as contain potential threats.
• Continuous Monitoring: Continuous monitoring is a proactive approach to cybersecurity that involves the real-time and ongoing observation, analysis, and assessment of an organization's systems, networks, and data to detect and respond to security threats and vulnerabilities. It provides organizations with a comprehensive view of their security posture and enables them to identify and address potential risks promptly. Implementing real-time monitoring and analysis of user behavior, network traffic, and system logs helps to detect and respond to any suspicious activities or anomalies.
• Encryption: Encryption is a process of converting plaintext or readable data into an unreadable format called ciphertext using cryptographic algorithms. It is a fundamental technique used to protect the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive information, ensuring that only authorized individuals can access and understand the data. The encryption process involves two main components: an encryption algorithm and a key. The encryption algorithm performs mathematical operations on the plaintext data, transforming it into ciphertext. The key is a unique parameter that determines the specific transformation applied by the algorithm. To decrypt the ciphertext and retrieve the original plaintext, the recipient must possess the correct key. Using strong encryption protocols to protect data both in transit and at rest helps to ensure that even if intercepted, the data remains secure.
• Security Analytics: Security analytics is the practice of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data from various security sources to identify and respond to security threats and vulnerabilities. It involves leveraging advanced analytics techniques, machine learning algorithms, and threat intelligence to gain insights into security events, patterns, and trends.

The primary goal of security analytics is to detect and mitigate security incidents in a timely manner, enabling organizations to proactively defend against cyber threats. By analyzing large volumes of security data, security analytics helps organizations identify anomalies, patterns of behavior, and indicators of compromise that may indicate potential security breaches or malicious activities. Leveraging advanced analytics and machine learning techniques helps to identify patterns and anomalies that may indicate potential security threats.

Conclusion

By implementing a Zero Trust strategy in developing and managing blockchain technology "wrappers", blockchain projects can achieve integrity of their core principles with a focus on the blockchain technology key values, extending them to the more traditional areas, smoothing out the conflict of Web2 and Web3, and reducing the potential threats of Web2 environment to the Web3 logic.