Blockchain-Based Trust Management for Virtual Entities in the Metaverse: A Model for Avatar and Virtual Organization Interactions

Abstract

As blockchain technology and decentralized systems evolve, the security of these infrastructures faces challenges from increasingly sophisticated threats. This research introduces a methodology designed to strengthen the security parameters of distributed systems, with a specific focus on its applicability within the Metaverse. Our probabilistic trust model dynamically allocates weights to system nodes based on their observed behaviour and the reputation of associated entities. This mechanism effectively counters a range of security threats, including the Sybil, Good/Bad mouthing, and On/Off attacks. By integrating blockchain technology, we establish a robust trust foundation within the Metaverse, ensuring enhanced security for digital interactions. To further combat deceptive activities and reduce superfluous intermediaries, our model incorporates smart contracts. Beyond their transactional utility, these contracts function as trust regulators for interactions among Metaverse avatars. Our trust model efficiently differentiates various virtual entities, assigning trust scores that resonate with their specific classifications. We also introduce a decentralized dispute resolution framework, where virtual entities act as impartial arbiters, promoting transparency and fairness in conflict resolution. We have implemented our proposed solution on real-Time blockchain platform in comparison with the existing appraoches, i.e., BTCGS and MSBC-CTrust. The evident enhancements in threat detection capabilities and the agility in neutralizing these threats validate our model's resilience and adaptability. © 2013 IEEE.