Improved Credit Document Blockchain System Using EduCTX Platform with Decentralized Storage Filecoin

Academic certificates are pivotal in education and the professional realm as tangible proof of educational completion and job requirements. However, the centralized storage of certificates has weaknesses, increasing the risk of forgery. Blockchain technology has emerged as a solution for micro-credential administration, offering secure, decentralized, and tamper-proof infrastructure. EduCTX is a blockchain-based platform utilizing the IPFS protocol for off-chain storage. Yet, IPFS poses data security challenges. To address this, decentralized storage Filecoin is used. Filecoin provides scalability, flexibility, and data storage security, including economic incentives and cryptographic proof methods. This research explores the need for enhanced storage mechanisms to secure academic credentials. Storage on Filecoin is done using the calibration testnet network and supporting tools like Filecoin Virtual Machine (FVM). The data storage process on Filecoin involves four phases: preparing data for storage deal, deploying a smart contract of storage deal, making a proposal deal, and retrieving data. The data storage agreement process on Filecoin is governed by smart contracts, ensuring its verifiability. Additionally, this research leverages the storage helper tool to facilitate quick data retrieval using the Content Identifier (CID) on the IPFS gateway. This integration ensures the secure and verifiable storage of platform EduCTX credential data.