ReCheck Vault: online service & SDK to encrypt, store, trace & share sensitive information, powered by Cardano

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Emiliyan Enev

[GENERAL] Email address of main applicant

enev@recheck.io

Additional applicants

Emil Stoyanov

Martin Panayotov

Desislav Petrov

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

6

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language.

No

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

No

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.” .

No dependencies.

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

Yes

[GENERAL] If NO, please describe which outputs are not going to be open source. If YES, please write “Project will be fully open source.”

Project will be fully open source.

[METADATA] Category of Proposal

Data tools

[METADATA] SDG rating

ReCheck Vault contributes to the following UN's SDGs:

DG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

• Sub-goal 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure.
• Sub-goal 9.2: Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization.
• Sub-goal 9.5: Enhance scientific research and upgrade technological capabilities.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

• Sub-goal 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions.
• 
  

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• Sub-goal 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development.

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

ReCheck Vault is a platform to encrypt, store, share, and trace essential documents and files with ultimate security provided by the Cardano protocol and privacy powered by military-grade encryption. It combines several software solutions that are battle proven and already work reliably in a production environment - mobile applications for identity management (user wallet), an online platform for securing data, and an SDK that makes ReCheck Vault easily pluggable into other platforms. 

Watch a video: https://v.recheck.io

ReCheck Vault is a product of 3 years of research and development that refined the concept and the technical implementation. The ambition of our team is to shape a product that enables ordinary people and companies to protect important and sensitive information easily and quickly - without compromising security.

Users start by installing a mobile application that generates a sovereign digital identity on the Cardano blockchain and stores a private key on their smartphone for easy access. The mobile application is an authentication means for accessing the ReCheck Vault via decentralized login - scanning a QR and signing a transaction with the identity managed on the phone. Once the user is logged in to the ReCheck Vault platform, she can upload documents or other digital content encrypted with the smartphone's keys. The files are registered on the Cardano blockchain and are verifiable via standalone open-source dApp. Furthermore, once secured and timestamped on the blockchain, the documents can be shared with other users with absolute privacy and confidence. The files are encrypted to the identities of the selected recipients, and only they can access them. Finally, each interaction with the files (upload, share, open, sign, etc.) creates evidence on the Cardano platform, thus enabling full transparency and traceability about the status of the digital items.

This is a trustless technology, which means that no other than the identity holder can decrypt the information. Not even the Recheck team can access or decrypt the data nor recover lost identities, ensuring a higher degree of security.

[IMPACT] How does your proposed solution address the challenge and what benefits will this bring to the Cardano ecosystem?

We believe that Cardano is an open platform that seeks to provide decentralized applications to manage identity, value, governance, and security applications that are essential to the ecosystem's growth and user acquisition.

ReCheck Vault brings ultimate privacy and security to sensitive data exchange. Information has become a valuable asset, and our lives are determined by zeros and ones (bits) stored in databases.

Such dApp will onboard users on the Cardano blockchain as security solutions are valuable to every technology ecosystem. This will also help the Cardano users access a security solution to prevent the loss of valuable private data.

Watch a video: https://v.recheck.io

Recheck will open-source the Recheck Vault SDK so that other Cardano projects can build secure dApps on Cardano.

 The crucial question is who controls these databases because, in many cases, it is the same institution/company that exercises control over our lives. If we do not want to be vulnerable and dependent on IT monopolists and untransparent institutions, we need to control the data that is ours. And here comes the biggest trade-off - how to achieve sovereignty and security with excellent user experience and simplicity. ReCheck Vault offers a balanced approach and streamlined experience by leveraging the user's smartphone as a uniform and convenient tool for authentication and authorization. 

On the other hand, ReCheck Vault functions as a set of pluggable software libraries that add a cyber security layer to existing platforms and solutions. Our Software Development Kit can be easily integrated into various digital products, thus creating a bridge to Cardano for registering, sharing, and tracing data. 

[IMPACT] How do you intend to measure the success of your project?

The metrics for measuring success include:

• Successful migration and deployment of our software tools (SDK, mobile wallets, verification services, etc.) on the Cardano blockchain.
• Bridging the existing online service My ReCheck to Cardano and rebranding it with ReCheck Vault identity.
• Improved UX and UI so we can onboard more users from other blockchains to Cardano.
• A successful campaign for promoting ReCheck Vault to Cardano's community and reaching at least 10 000 people.
• Partnership with at least one Cardano project for integrating ReCheck's SDK in their solution.
• Feedback from at least 100 users from the Cardano ecosystem regarding the usability, utility, and use cases for ReCheck Vault. 

[IMPACT] Please describe your plans to share the outputs and results of your project?

ReCheck Vault will be made available to Cardano's community as an online service for securing and sharing sensitive documents. Our open-source SDK will be uploaded on GitHub, and developers can leverage it to facilitate the bridging of platforms with Cardano as a digital notary boosting security. New versions of the mobile wallets will be uploaded on Google Play and App Store, enabling users to create sovereign digital identities on Cardano Our dApp for verification will support checking the origin, authenticity and executed operations with files.

Watch a video: https://v.recheck.io

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability?

ReCheck implemented various blockchain projects and accumulated significant expertise in the domain of leveraging decentralized technologies as an enabler for security and privacy. Some of the projects are listed below. 

• ReCheck completed the implementation the Bulgarian part of The European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI). The company set up the pilot nodes of EBSI in Bulgaria and developed applications for two use cases – sovereign digital identity and document traceability. The activities are related to a project contracted by the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).

EBSI Use Case 1: Digital Identity

The first use case is based on one of the building blocks recommended by EBSI. ReCheck developed this use case using its wallet toolkit and extended, and simplified where needed the system to work only with verifiable credentials (VCs) for digital identity, allowing users to focus on what the system is capable of. The platform’s goal is to create the user’s digital identity and use the blockchain as a layer of trust when interacting with different parties. The platform also offers solutions to verify and validate the identity of a user or organisation. The company’s ultimate goal is to create a secure and trusted place for digital transactions without intermediaries.

EBSI Use Case 2: Document Traceability

The second use case is document traceability, software to protect and track the status of a document. The use case is implemented via registering documents on the EBSI blockchain and generating a digital footprint of the document in hash form. When that document becomes relevant for a transaction or event, it can be checked to see if it is authentic and if there is a last-minute change. A simple user interface enables easy verification and serves as a digital notary service certifying the validity of the documents. The other feature of this application is that you can pass the hash that is the result of the snapshot to check if it matches any document.

(https://recheck.io/blog/events/the-use-cases-developed-by-recheck-for-ebsi/)

• ReCheck implemented a project led by the Dutch Ministry of Interior and the Dutch Land Registry (Kadaster). The solution that is being developed by the team aims at making buildings more energy-efficient through implementing various renovation work. The pilot prototype that ReCheck has developed is completely aligned with the emerging trends for secure data exchange, user control over the data and transparent history of items on the blockchain. The Building Renovation Passport utilises the UOI as infrastructure and it will empower homeowners and building managers to better measure and monitor the energy performance of buildings.(https://recheck.io/blog/events/project-dutch-ministry-of-interior/)

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What are the main goals for the project and how will you validate if your approach is feasible?

Goal 1 

Migration of ReCheck Vault and its SDK to Cardano standards and protocols.

Goal 2

Make ReCheck Vault accessible by the Cardano ecosystem of users and developers as a way for secure and private data exchange on the blockchain.|

Goal 3

Promoting ReCheck Vault among Cardano's community.

Goal 4

Enhancement of Recheck Vault UX to reflect Cardano capabilities and user services (e.g., account name handles).

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed breakdown of your project’s milestones and each of the main tasks or activities to reach the milestone plus the expected timeline for the delivery.

Milestone 1: Porting And Development 

1.1. Backend Migration:

• Porting of Solidity Smart Contracts to Plutus(Haskell)
• Porting of signature verification
• Porting of Transaction Manager

1.2. Mobile Wallet Migration:

• Porting QR Action API
• Porting signature methods
• Porting encryption
• Porting identifiers verification and validation

Milestone 2: Verifier dApp and Test Environment Deployment

2.1. Native user account name resolution (with Cardano handles):

• Integration of name resolution services (Cardano handles)
• UI adaptation in mobile and web interfaces

2.2. Verifier dApp:

• Porting of smart contract proxies
• Porting signature verification

2.3. Library adaptation (ReCheck SDK):

• JavaScript library
• Command-line application

2.4. Beta:

• Deployment on test environment using a Cardano test network
• Public Feedback Collection and Bugfixing

Milestone 3: General Public Release and Community Support

3.1. Release:

• Public release and deployment in production mode on the Cardano production network.

3.2. Community Support:

• Help newcomers find their way into using ReCheck Vault and help them become part of a community that uses the product and has ideas for its improvement and shaping.

3.3. Marketing Activities:

• Marketing Channels Management
• Marketing Materials Distribution

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please describe the deliverables, outputs and intended outcomes of each milestone.

Milestone 1 Deliverables:

• Functional/Working Smart Contracts
• Functional/Working Backend with its internal components
• Functional Mobile Authentication App

Milestone 2 Deliverables:

• Functional Native user account name resolution
• Functional Verification dApp
• Fully functional library (ReCheck SDK)
• Fully functional deployed Beta Version of ReCheck Vault in test environment
• Report about feedback and bugfixes

Milestone 3 Deliverables:

• Fully functional deployed Production Version of ReCheck Vault in Cardano production network
• Community space (Discord server) where users can interact with developers and get oriented in the product.
• Report of the executed marketing campaigns.

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

Milestone 1: Porting And Development - $38,000 / ADA 118750 (USD/ADA 0,32)

• Backend migration - 20 man/weeks
• Mobile wallet migration - 10 man/weeks

Milestone 2: Verifier dApp and Test Environment Deployment - $18,000 / ADA 56250 (USD/ADA 0,32)

• Native user account name resolution - 4 man/weeks
• Verifier dApp - 6 man/weeks
• Library (SDK) adaptation - 4 man/weeks
• Feedback and bugfixes - 3 man/weeks
• Beta deployment - 1 man / weeks

Milestone 3: General Public Release and Community Support - $17,000 / ADA 53125 (USD/ADA 0,32)

• Release - 1 man/weeks
• Community support - 7 man/weeks
• Marketing activities - 7 man/weeks

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

Recheck Vault will open source the SDK so other Cardano projects can build secure applications faster. This will save a lot of time and development resources for new startups and projects that build applications on top of the Cardano blockchain and significantly decrease development costs and lead time for new Cardano projects.

Furthermore, ReCheck Vault will contribute to the overall volume of transactions executed on the Cardano blockchain since each file secured or shared via the service will generate an additional transaction. Also, we will boost the number of wallets on Cardano since each installation of the ReCheck mobile applications will trigger the creation of a new user wallet. 

ReCheck is a blockchain technology partner of startup companies, SMEs, enterprises and institutions. The migration of our infrastructure to Cardano is a premise for attracting additional customers and partners building solutions with ReCheck SDK or adding a Cardano blockchain layer on top of their platforms. All existing 

Our ambition is to position ReCheck Vault as a popular and useful online service for securing and private sharing of sensitive data, showcasing the capabilities of Cardano in providing robust, scalable and affordable infrastructure for real-world products. Cardano will be promoted throughout ReCheck Vault's channels as the enabler guaranteeing the security, traceability and user control over data. 

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agreed to Fund10 rules and also that data in the Submission Form and other data provided by the project team during the course of the project will be publicly available.

I Accept