BrightChain represents a revolutionary approach to blockchain technology, combining advanced cryptography with innovative governance mechanisms. Built on Ethereum's foundation but departing from traditional proof-of-work systems, BrightChain delivers a comprehensive suite of decentralized services designed for security, privacy, and democratic participation.
BrightChain integrates several groundbreaking technologies:
- Advanced Blockchain Architecture: Built on Ethereum's keyspace and foundation but engineered without proof-of-work constraints, offering improved efficiency and sustainability
- Hierarchical Storage System: Super CBL (Constituent Block List) architecture enabling efficient storage of files of any size through recursive hierarchical structures
- Decentralized Storage: A peer-to-peer distributed file system enabling secure, resilient data storage across the network
- Messaging System: Secure, decentralized message passing with encryption, routing, and delivery tracking built on the block store
- Identity Management: A sophisticated decentralized identity provider ensuring user privacy and control
- Owner-Free File System: Complete TUPLE storage implementation (3-block storage: data + 2 randomizers) for true plausible deniability and legal protection
- Homomorphic Voting System: Revolutionary cryptographic voting infrastructure utilizing Paillier homomorphic encryption with ECDH-derived keys, enabling secure vote tallying without revealing individual votes
- Enhanced File Security: State-of-the-art encryption combining ECIES for key derivation with AES-256-GCM for file security
- Digital Governance Framework: Revolutionary quorum-based system supporting configurable majority requirements for secret reconstruction
BrightChain introduces "Brokered Anonymity," a sophisticated privacy mechanism that enables anonymous operations while maintaining accountability through encrypted identity information. This information can only be reconstructed through majority quorum consensus, typically in response to legal processes like FISA warrants. After a specified period, this identifying information becomes permanently inaccessible, ensuring long-term privacy protection.
BrightChain implements a cutting-edge homomorphic voting system that enables secure, privacy-preserving elections. The system features:
- ECDH-to-Paillier Bridge: Novel cryptographic bridge that derives Paillier homomorphic encryption keys from existing ECDSA/ECDH keys
- Privacy-Preserving Tallying: Vote aggregation without revealing individual votes through homomorphic addition
- Cross-Platform Determinism: Identical cryptographic operations across Node.js and browser environments
- Cryptographic Security: 128-bit security level with Miller-Rabin primality testing (256 rounds, error probability < 2^-512)
- Timing Attack Resistance: Constant-time operations and deterministic random bit generation (HMAC-DRBG)
The system implements advanced document sealing and unsealing mechanisms, allowing groups to protect sensitive information with customizable threshold requirements for access restoration. This feature ensures both security and flexibility in document management.
BrightChain is currently implemented as an NX monorepo, with the core functionality contained in the "brightchain-lib" project. The system incorporates:
- Authentication: Robust implementation using BIP39/32 and SECP256k1
- Identity Management: Complete Member system with public/private key pairs and document storage
- Encryption: Advanced ECIES encryption with AES-256-GCM and multi-recipient support
- TUPLE Storage: All data stored as 3-block TUPLEs for complete Owner-Free Filesystem compliance
- Data Integrity: Verified block-level integrity with SHA3-512 checksums and XOR functionality
- Super CBL Architecture: Hierarchical Constituent Block Lists enabling unlimited file sizes through recursive sub-CBL structures with automatic threshold detection
- Message Passing: Complete messaging system with encryption, routing, delivery tracking, and WebSocket events
- Quorum Governance: Full Shamir's Secret Sharing implementation for document sealing with configurable thresholds (2 to 1,048,575 members)
- Homomorphic Voting: Integrated Paillier homomorphic encryption system with ECDH-to-Paillier key bridge for privacy-preserving vote aggregation
- Forward Error Correction: Reed-Solomon erasure coding for data recovery and redundancy
- Cross-Platform Cryptography: Unified cryptographic operations across Node.js and browser environments with deterministic key generation
- Modular Architecture: Extends base cryptographic constants from @digitaldefiance libraries, ensuring consistency and reducing duplication
BrightChain follows a layered constants architecture:
- brightchain-lib: Extends
@digitaldefiance/ecies-libfor core cryptographic constants - brightchain-api-lib: Extends
@digitaldefiance/node-express-suitefor API and Express constants - BrightChain-specific: Only defines blockchain-specific constants (CBL, FEC, TUPLE, SEALING, VOTING, etc.)
This architecture ensures:
- Single source of truth for cryptographic constants
- Reduced code duplication
- Consistent security practices across the @digitaldefiance ecosystem
- Easy maintenance and updates
BrightChain is currently in pre-alpha stage with 70-80% of core functionality complete. Major achievements include:
- Owner-Free Filesystem: Complete TUPLE storage implementation (3 blocks per data item) for true plausible deniability
- Super CBL System: Hierarchical storage supporting unlimited file sizes through recursive sub-CBLs
- Identity Management: Full member system with BIP39/32 key derivation and SECP256k1 cryptography
- Quorum Governance: Complete Shamir's Secret Sharing implementation with configurable thresholds
- Homomorphic Voting: Paillier encryption with ECDH-to-Paillier bridge for privacy-preserving elections
- Messaging System: Complete encrypted messaging with routing, delivery tracking, and WebSocket transport
- Encryption Suite: ECIES + AES-256-GCM with multi-recipient support
- Forward Error Correction: Reed-Solomon erasure coding for data recovery
- Block Store: Content-addressed storage with SHA3-512 checksums and automatic deduplication
- Reputation System: Algorithms designed but not yet implemented
- Network Layer: P2P infrastructure partially complete
- Economic Model: Storage market and energy tracking concepts defined
- Smart Contracts: Planned CIL/CLR-based contract system
- Docker Desktop (optional)
- NodeJS 20+ (if not using Docker)
- Clone the repository
- Open in VSCode
- For Docker users:
- Install Dev Container extension
- Select "Remote-Containers: Reopen in Container"
- Run
yarnin repository root and brightchain-lib - Execute tests:
npx nx test brightchain-lib
For comprehensive understanding:
- TUPLE Storage Architecture: Complete OFF compliance with 3-block storage
- OFF System Comparison Analysis: Detailed comparison with Owner-Free File System and "government in a box" assessment
- BrightChain Summary: High-level system overview
- Brightchain Writeup: Detailed technical documentation
- Messaging System Architecture: Message passing and event system design
- Implementation Roadmap: Development roadmap and future plans
This project leverages Nx build system for enhanced development efficiency. For detailed information about working with Nx:
nx list # View available plugins
nx list <plugin-name> # View plugin-specific generatorsnx <target> <project> # Single target
nx run-many -t <target1> <target2> # Multiple targets
nx run-many -t <target1> <target2> -p <proj1> <proj2> # Filtered projectsEnhance your development experience with Nx Console extensions, providing:
- Autocomplete support
- Task & generator UI
- VSCode, IntelliJ, and Vim LSP support
Build your application with:
nx build demoappBuild artifacts will be available in the dist/ directory.
Nx supports advanced CI features:
Join the Nx community: