Efficient PBFT: A Novel and Efficient Approach to the PBFT Consensus Algorithm

Abstract

Blockchain technology, which is built upon the distributed and decentralised network, suffers from mutual trust among the nodes, and hence, it employs a consensus algorithm to achieve democracy. Consensus algorithm is one of the core elements of blockchain architecture, and a strong, reliable and efficient consensus algorithm is very much required for a blockchain network in order to prevent the intrusion of malicious nodes. A good consensus algorithm drives the blockchain network in the right direction by keeping the malicious transactions off the chain. Thus, in this article, a novel consensus algorithm referred to as efficient practical Byzantine fault tolerance (E-PBFT) is proposed for a private blockchain. E-PBFT finds the winner miner for mining the candidate blocks in an efficient manner which reduces the number of messages exchanged between the nodes. Further, in order to give additional security, a hidden winner miner concept is also included in E-PBFT which hides the winner miner from the adversaries, so that the adversaries will never come to know who is mining the transactions. The theoretical proof for the proposed algorithm is also given whose results are quite convincing when compared to classical PBFT algorithm. The proposed E-PBFT will definitely strengthen the blockchain network by quickly reaching the consensus and by hiding the winner miner, thereby giving additional security.