Blockchain-based eVault for Legal Records

Introduction

• This project aims to develop a blockchain-based eVault system for legal records, leveraging Hyperledger technology. The system ensures security, transparency, and accessibility for all stakeholders involved in legal proceedings. It allows for storing, managing, and sharing legal records securely and efficiently while integrating with existing legal databases and case management systems.

Features

• Smart Contracts: Manages access, permissions, and transactions securely.

• User-friendly Interfaces: Provides intuitive interfaces for lawyers, judges, clients, and other stakeholders.

• IPFS Network: Allows uploading, retrieval, tracking changes, and sharing legal documents.

• Privacy and Confidentiality: Ensures data privacy through access controls, encryption, and authentication mechanisms.

• Integration: Seamlessly integrates with existing legal databases and case management systems.

Tech Stack

• Client: EJS , CSS, JavaScript
• Server: Node, Express
• Blockchain: Hyperledger Fabric
• Database: CouchDB
• File Storage: InterPlanetary File System (IPFS)
• Authentication: Digital signature

Prerequisites

• Git
• Curl
• Node
• CouchDB
• IPFS
• Jq
• Docker and Docker-compose

IPFS Network:

• Installation Commands:

 docker pull ipfs/go-ipfs
 docker run -d --name=ipfs_host ipfs/go-ipfs:latest
 docker exec -it ipfs_host /bin/sh
 ipfs init
 ipfs daemon

• Command for converting file to hash :

ipfs add path/to/file

• Command for retrieving the file from hash :

ipfs get [hash]

• Command to extract content from hash :

ipfs cat [hash]

Deploying the Application :

Manual Setup:

Installation of Hyperledger Fabric :

• Hyperledger Fabric is more compatible with Linux. Therefore, I used Linux Ubuntu OS. Run the following command to install Hyperledger Fabric:

curl -sSLO https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hyperledger/fabric/main/scripts/install-fabric.sh && chmod +x install-fabric.sh

• If the link does not work on your device, open the link on another device, copy the script, and then run it on your device:

 chmod +x install-fabric.sh
./install-fabric.sh

Connecting the CouchDB :

• Change the configuration of all core.yaml files from LevelDB to CouchDB in peer section.

• In the test-network directory, change the database option to couchdb in the network.config file.

Starting the fabric-network :

cd path/to/fabric-samples/test-network
./network.sh down
sudo ./network.sh up -s couchdb
sudo ./network.sh createChannel -c mychannel 
sudo ./network.sh deployCC -ccn basic -ccp ../asset-transfer-basic/chaincode-javascript -ccl javascript

Starting the application :

• Before starting the application, set up the folders like application-javascript, chaincode-javascript and test-application. Modify these files as per your requirements and also modify the wallet.js in node modules to store the user information as you want . In application-javascriptand then follow these commands:

 cd path/to/evault_blockchain/asset-transfer-basic/application-javascript
 npm init
 npm i
 npm start

Cloning the Repository:

Starting the fabric-network :

git clone https://github.com/nihal1521/AI-Block-Chain-Based-E-vault-for-storing-legal-records
cd path/to/fabric-samples/test-network
./network.sh down
sudo ./network.sh up -s couchdb
sudo ./network.sh createChannel -c mychannel 
sudo ./network.sh deployCC -ccn basic -ccp ../asset-transfer-basic/chaincode-javascript -ccl javascript

Starting the application :

• Before starting the application, set up the folders like application-javascript, chaincode-javascript and test-application. Modify these files as per your requirements and also modify the wallet.js in node modules to store the user information as you want . In application-javascriptand then follow these commands:

 cd path/to/evault_blockchain/asset-transfer-basic/application-javascript
 npm init
 npm i
 npm start

Web-Interfaces for admin :

Portainer : http://localhost/127.0.0.1:9000

• Install Docker interface Portainer with the following commands:

docker volume create portainer_data
docker run -d -p 9000:9000 -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock -v portainer_data:/data --name portainer portainer/portainer 

CouchDB : http://localhost/127.0.0.1:5984/_utils

• CouchDB is automatically installed using Docker during the network setup, and CouchDB containers will also be managed by Docker. The default username is admin, and the password is adminpw.

Hyperledger Explorer : http://localhost/127.0.0.1:8081

• Install Hyperledger Explorer with the following commands:

cd path/to/fabric/fabric-samples/token-sdk/explorer
docker-compose down -v
docker-compose up -d

• Note: The username is exploreradmin, and the password is exploreradminpw. Before installation, make the required changes in the connection-profile.

Hyperledger Explorer Database : http://localhost/adminer.php

• Install php-pgsql and Adminer with the following commands:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install php php-pgsql
wget https://github.com/vrana/adminer/releases/download/v4.8.1/adminer-4.8.1.php -O adminer.php
sudo mv adminer.php /var/www/html/adminer.php
sudo apt-get install apache2

• Note: For the server address, go to the Docker interface and check the IP address. The username is hppoc, the password is password, the database is fabricexplorer, and the system is postgresql.

Acknowledgements

• Hyperledger Documentation

🔗 Link

• Static Mock-up