ValuChain: A Secure IoT-Blockchain Framework for Tamper Detection, Authenticity Verification, and Traceability in Smart Logistics
Bader Alharbi1, Mohammed Balfaqih2,*
1 Department of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
2 Department of Computer and Network Engineering, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
* Corresponding Author: Mohammed Balfaqih. Email: 
Computers, Materials & Continua https://doi.org/10.32604/cmc.2026.088106
Received 29 June 2026; Accepted 19 August 2026; Published online 15 September 2026
Abstract
The rapid growth of e-commerce and smart logistics has increased the need for secure, transparent, and tamper-resistant shipment monitoring systems, particularly for high-value, fragile, and sensitive goods. Traditional logistics platforms mainly provide location-based tracking and often lack trusted evidence about the physical condition of shipments when tampering, abnormal handling, product removal, or route violations occur. Although Internet of Things (IoT) systems can capture real-world shipment conditions and blockchain can provide immutable records, these capabilities are commonly implemented separately, leaving a gap between physical shipment monitoring and trusted on-chain verification. To address this gap, this paper proposes ValuChain, a secure IoT- and blockchain-enabled framework for tamper detection, authenticity verification, and trusted traceability in smart logistics. The framework integrates pressure- and GPS-based IoT sensing, secure cloud event processing, Oracle-mediated off-chain/on-chain communication, Ethereum smart contracts, and a decentralized web application. A ValuChain prototype was implemented and evaluated through real-time data publishing, abnormal-event detection, stakeholder alerting, blockchain transaction recording, transaction-cost and transaction-time analysis, scalability discussion, and security analysis. Prototype validation demonstrated successful real-time shipment monitoring and immutable recording of verified abnormal events. The implemented blockchain transactions achieved an average transaction cost of 0.0000688 ETH, approximately USD 0.122 under the evaluated conditions, while the average transaction time on the selected Ethereum test network was approximately 12 s. The main contribution of ValuChain is the implementation and prototype validation of an end-to-end workflow that integrates physical shipment-condition sensing, event-driven violation detection, Oracle-mediated data transfer, and blockchain-based authenticity verification within a unified smart-logistics framework.
Keywords
Secure smart logistics; IoT; blockchain; smart contracts; Chainlink Oracle; tamper detection; authenticity verification; shipment traceability
Open Access
Login
Register
Submit a Paper
Propose a Special lssue
Download PDF
Downloads
Citation Tools
