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TrustShare: Secure and Trusted Blockchain Framework for Threat Intelligence Sharing

Author

Listed:
  • Hisham Ali

    (Blockpass ID Lab, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh EH10 5DT, UK)

  • William J. Buchanan

    (Blockpass ID Lab, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh EH10 5DT, UK)

  • Jawad Ahmad

    (Cybersecurity Center, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Al Khobar 31952, Saudi Arabia)

  • Marwan Abubakar

    (Blockpass ID Lab, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh EH10 5DT, UK)

  • Muhammad Shahbaz Khan

    (Blockpass ID Lab, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh EH10 5DT, UK)

  • Isam Wadhaj

    (Blockpass ID Lab, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh EH10 5DT, UK)

Abstract

We introduce TrustShare, a novel blockchain-based framework designed to enable secure, privacy-preserving, and trust-aware cyber threat intelligence (CTI) sharing across organizational boundaries. Leveraging Hyperledger Fabric , the architecture supports fine-grained access control and immutability through smart contract-enforced trust policies. The system combines Ciphertext-Policy Attribute-Based Encryption (CP-ABE) with temporal, spatial, and controlled revelation constraints to grant data owners precise control over shared intelligence. To ensure scalable decentralized storage, encrypted CTI is distributed via the IPFS , with blockchain-anchored references ensuring verifiability and traceability. Using STIX for structuring and TAXII for exchange, the framework complies with the GDPR requirements, embedding revocation and the right to be forgotten through certificate authorities. The experimental validation demonstrates that TrustShare achieves low-latency retrieval, efficient encryption performance, and robust scalability in containerized deployments. By unifying decentralized technologies with cryptographic enforcement and regulatory compliance, TrustShare sets a foundation for the next generation of sovereign and trustworthy threat intelligence collaboration.

Suggested Citation

  • Hisham Ali & William J. Buchanan & Jawad Ahmad & Marwan Abubakar & Muhammad Shahbaz Khan & Isam Wadhaj, 2025. "TrustShare: Secure and Trusted Blockchain Framework for Threat Intelligence Sharing," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-33, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jftint:v:17:y:2025:i:7:p:289-:d:1689542
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gourisetti, Sri Nikhil Gupta & Sebastian-Cardenas, D. Jonathan & Bhattarai, Bishnu & Wang, Peng & Widergren, Steve & Borkum, Mark & Randall, Alysha, 2021. "Blockchain smart contract reference framework and program logic architecture for transactive energy systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).
    2. Muqaddas Naz & Fahad A. Al-zahrani & Rabiya Khalid & Nadeem Javaid & Ali Mustafa Qamar & Muhammad Khalil Afzal & Muhammad Shafiq, 2019. "A Secure Data Sharing Platform Using Blockchain and Interplanetary File System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-24, December.
    3. Pronaya Bhattacharya & Deepti Saraswat & Darshan Savaliya & Sakshi Sanghavi & Ashwin Verma & Vatsal Sakariya & Sudeep Tanwar & Ravi Sharma & Maria Simona Raboaca & Daniela Lucia Manea, 2023. "Towards Future Internet: The Metaverse Perspective for Diverse Industrial Applications," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-41, February.
    4. Cristian Lepore & Michela Ceria & Andrea Visconti & Udai Pratap Rao & Kaushal Arvindbhai Shah & Luca Zanolini, 2020. "A Survey on Blockchain Consensus with a Performance Comparison of PoW, PoS and Pure PoS," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-26, October.
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