FADL 2018 - 1st Workshop on Foundations and Applications of Distributed Ledgers (FADL)

In its simplest form, a (digital) Distributed Ledger is a database held and updated independently by each participant (or node) in a large network. The distribution is unique: records are not communicated to various nodes by a central authority, but are instead independently assembled and held by every node. That is, every single node on the network processes every transaction, coming to its own conclusions and then voting on those conclusions to make certain the majority agree with the conclusions. Once there is this consensus, the Distributed Ledger has been updated, and all nodes maintain their own identical copy of the ledger. This architecture allows for a new dexterity as a system of record that goes beyond being a simple database.
One form of Distributed Ledger design is the Block-chain system, which can be either public or private (or even permissioned). But not all Distributed Ledgers have to necessarily employ a chain of blocks to successfully provide secure and valid achievement of distributed consensus. At the same time, these networks make constantly available for examination a full audit trail of information history, which can be traced back to the moment when a piece of information was created for the first time. Furthermore, unauthorised changes to the information and its history are very difficult, if not impossible, to make.
The invention of Distributed Ledgers represents a revolution in how information is gathered and communicated. Possible applications concern the implementation of cryptocurrencies, but also, for instance, improve systems dedicated to crowd-funding, health-care, digital rights management, e-voting, block-chain oriented public services, financial contracts, and supply-chain services.
The success of Bitcoin and subsequent Distributed Ledgers has led to fascinating research in multiple venues, including top security conferences, legal journals, and reports of international financial organisations. This workshop aims to bring together interested scholars from all relevant disciplines, who study Distributed Ledgers and their surrounding ecosystems.
Topics:
All possible topics of interest related to Distributed Ledgers, which include, but are not limited to, the following list:
– Applications using or built on top of Distributed Ledgers.
– Security, privacy, anonymity and trust in Distributed Ledgers.
– Consensus mechanisms: proof-of-work, proof of stake, proof of burn, proof-of-useful-work.
– Big Data analytics.
– Distributed Ledger based trust-systems.
– Cryptocurrencies.
– Interaction and coordination through Distributed Ledgers.
– Formal verification of transactions.
– Validation of smart contracts.
– P2P networks and systems.
– Access models for Permissioned Ledgers.
– Forensics and monitoring.
– Regulation and law enforcement.
– Fraud detection and financial crime prevention.
– Legal, ethical and societal aspects of Distributed Ledgers.
– Economics, monetary, and game theory aspects.
– Case studies (e.g., of adoption, attacks, forks, scams, ...).
– Tools.
Paper Submission:
The workshop solicits manuscripts that represent significant and novel research contributions. Submissions must not substantially overlap with works that have been already published. Simultaneous submissions to journals or conferences with proceedings are allowed instead. Papers have to be submitted in pdf format and should be formatted using the EasyChair style (http://www.easychair.org/publications/for_authors). Submissions should be no more than 10 pages, excluding references and well-marked appendices. Both research and full practical experience reports are welcome, including experimental and evaluation studies, case studies, and practice reports Short papers (5 pages max including references and appendices) are also welcome. Short papers are dedicated to describing research in progress or opinion papers on the current state of the art, or on prospects for the years to come.
All submissions will be reviewed double-blind, and as such, must be anonymous, with no author names, affiliations, acknowledgements, or obvious references. Each paper will be reviewed by at least three members of the PC.
Accepted research papers and communications must be presented at the workshop by one of the authors.
Papers will be published with CEUR Workshop Proceedings if at least six papers are accepted.
Submissions must be made electronically in PDF format via EasyChair (https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=fadl2018)
Important Dates:
April 6, 2018 Paper submission
May 14, 2018 Notification to authors
May 28 Camera-ready
June 20-21, 2018 FADL in Madrid
Organisers:
– Stefano Bistarelli (Department of Mathematics and Compute Science, University of Perugia).
– Francesco Santini (Department of Mathematics and Compute Science, University of Perugia).
Program Committee (to be extended):
– Massimo Bartoletti (Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Cagliari).
– Stefano Bistarelli (Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Perugia).
– Andrea Bracciali (Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Stirling).
– Andrea Margheri (University of Southampton).
– Francesco Santini (Department of Mathematics and Compute Science, Univesity of Perugia).
– Roberto Zunino (Department of Mathematics, University of Trento).
– Leonardo Aniello (University of Southampton).
– Benjamin Aziz (University of Portsmouth).
– Federico Lombardi (University of Southampton).