Cisco implemented a blockchain system for fight against counterfeit network equipment

At the end of February, 2020 the Japanese corporation NEC announced cooperation with Cisco within which it is implemented a blockchain system for confirmation of authenticity of the network equipment used in the field of security and industrial infrastructure.

The companies assume that the blockchain will help them to fight against counterfeit products. Application of a blockchain became the answer to cyber security problems - a part of network equipment can be easily checked at the plant, but before installation it is simple to replace it with counterfeit.

NEC announced cooperation with Cisco within which it is implemented a blockchain system for confirmation of authenticity of network equipment

At the first stage of an initiative of NEC and Cisco will use the patented technologies for authentication of the equipment, and then to hash data on a blockchain. The Cisco technology uses identifiers of devices, digital signatures and other technical elements for authentication, and Tamper Detection from NEC uses built in by software for tracking of any changes made to the marked devices. Then all these data will be estimated through a blockchain that will allow network administrators to verify authenticity of the device during all lifecycle.

NEC and Cisco are going to broaden area of cooperation for end-to-end monitoring and management of network equipment. The companies want to provide detection of incidents in real time, including during scaling and maintenance of objects. NEC stated that it is going to use this solution for own devices in the future and also in projects which the company will implement by request of other clients.

NEC uses a new blockchain mechanism which, according to developers, reaches more than 100,000 transactions per second, and the modular architecture allows it to be integrated with other platforms.^[1]

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