ABSTRACT
Splinter will become the standard in ultra-secure data storage, password management, blockchain asset management, ultra-secure audio and video communication, and ultra-secure crypto currency exchange for personal and enterprise use. It provides a dual-prong approach to secure data by providing an online, peer-to-peer integrated software platform that provides complete security over user content and communications on a decentralized blockchain as well as a specifically designed hardware component to function as a crypto currency wallet and local data store. Splinter is a solution for everyone who wants privacy, security, and control over their assets and communications without having to understand the technical details of crypto and blockchain technologies. This results in a user friendly, secure, and affordable platform.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Messaging, conferencing, and password storage applications are the most commonly used applications on the Internet. The problem with existing shared platforms is that end user data is hosted on individual cloud-based servers, in a data format that delivers each file in its entirety on each server replica. In the existing models, customers rely on 3rd party Cloud Service Providers like Google (Gmail, Google Docs), Microsoft (Office 365), Dropbox, Amazon Cloud Storage, etc., to facilitate data storage and sharing between parties. In many cases, due to the terms and conditions of using these platforms, Cloud Service Providers and their employees have access to customer private information and can mine the data, using that information to tailor marketing campaigns to the customer. Clearly, if the data is in a format that can be viewed by these companies, it is in format that can be hacked. Almost nothing used on a day-to-day basis is private. In addition, although Cloud Service Providers offer security, a breach of a centralized system can expose private information for millions of users. Data breaches of Yahoo, The Home Depot, Sony, Target, Equifax, and many more, have put millions of people at risk for identity theft and revealed private information. Furthermore, current audio and video conferencing solutions offer no guarantee that the person at the other end of the call is who they say they are and no reliable transaction log to prove who was called, when, or for how long. There is no protection or defense to the claim that a call was not placed or held with a specific person.
The bottom line is that even though accounts are protected with passwords and other forms of security, 3rd parties ultimately control and can compromise cloud-based data and communications. Many providers claim they can’t access the information, but recent hacks are proving otherwise. The market is clamoring for better security for personal assets, secure communications, and password storage.
SPLINTER SOLUTION
Splinter solves this important market problem by leveraging decentralized blockchain technology, creating a new environment where there are no servers or massive data centers; the end user has complete control over their data at all times, and all data is fully encrypted. The Splinter client application is a separate application from traditional Internet browsers and acts as the gateway to the customer’s data in the secured environment. Nothing that happens on the Splinter platform is tracked, no data is mined, and there are never any advertisements.
Splinter is a blockchain-based platform for the general public. It is built to shift power and put control of customer information back into customer hands. Secure messaging, password storage, and blockchain asset management on a decentralized network ensures that data can never be compromised by anyone at any time. Only the owner of the content has permissions to define how that content is viewed, shared, and stored. Blockchain technology enables Splinter conferencing features to use crypto wallet addresses and trusts to prove absolutely that the person who is called is exactly who they claim. The transaction log that stores the call details is encrypted and stored in the blockchain back-end, providing a way to finally guarantee when and for how long a video or audio conference took place with a specific Splinter user.
There is no need to use Cloud Service Provider’s massive datacenters and pay fees to use their resources when the alternative is Splinter, utilizing a distributed resource network.
The Splinter solution includes a small, personal hardware component, the back-end platform, and locally installed client application.
SPLINTER VAULT: HARDWARE COMPONENT
Customers need a safe, secure, universally compatible local storage device that can be connected to a computer or smart phone and allows them to manage their cryptocurrency and passwords. Securing cloud-based data is only part of the solution. In addition to secure cloud-based data, the Splinter solution includes a small, personal hardware component.
Trezor and KeepKey are the only solutions currently available in the marketplace that attempt to solve this problem for cryptocurrencies, however they also present limitations. These limitations are highlighted in the following table.