Rootstock Infrastructure Framework

<p>Big data is the new gold, and its value is increasing rapidly. However, many people are unaware of this, including the internet users whose data is being sold to third parties through processes such as <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/datamining.asp" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">data mining</a>.</p><p>This situation exists because of the centralized nature of today’s internet. Only a handful of large companies control the flow of information through the internet and the power that comes with it.</p><p>That centralization creates a single point of failure, just like centralized finance. It leaves user data vulnerable to hackers and others who seek to leverage it.</p><p>The decentralized internet is a way to restore data control to the rightful owners – the users. It is also the only way to prevent the creation of single points of failure.</p><p>This is why RSK infrastructure framework (RIF) exists – to create a <a href="https://blog.rsk.co/noticia/web-3-0-rif-building-the-decentralized-web-on-top-of-bitcoin/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">decentralized internet</a> where users control their data.</p><h2 id="header-0">What is the Decentralized Internet?</h2><p>The decentralized internet is like the internet you use today. The difference is that it doesn’t rely on centralized operators.</p><p>In the early days of the internet, individuals connected directly to others through desktop computers that interacted with each other. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Web 2.0</a> changed that. Instead of direct connections, you communicate with others through centralized operators. This gave the operators access and control over the data that was being shared.</p><p>Today, internet users cannot connect to each other without these middlemen. The decentralized internet removes these intermediates and allows users to connect directly with others and control their data and interactions.</p><h2 id="header-1">Why The Need for A Decentralized Internet</h2><p>Centralized internet has a lot of problems. The concentration of user data in the hands of a few companies creates single points of failure. These single points of failure can be used by governments to carry out surveillance and enforce censorship. They also make user data vulnerable to hackers.</p><p>The decentralized internet will allow for all the internet services currently provided without compromising user control of data and user privacy. It will also make it harder for state actors to conduct surveillance and impose censorship.</p><h2 id="header-2">Building A Decentralized Internet On Bitcoin Blockchain</h2><p>Bitcoin is currently the most secure blockchain in the world. It is also the strongest and oldest blockchain. The blockchain contains every transaction ever carried out with the currency. The identities of users are protected with encryption keys.</p><p>It is a secure way to track financial transactions without relying on governments or centralized bodies. While bitcoin was initially built for digital currency transactions, the underlying technology forms the backbone of the decentralized internet. This is possible through RIF.</p><h2 id="header-3">Building the Decentralized Web on Bitcoin with RIF</h2><p>RSK allows developers to use a smart contract-based economy on Bitcoin through the RSK sidechain.</p><p>Through the <a href="https://www.rifos.org/blog/rif-on-chain-launch" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">RSK infrastructure Framework</a>, the Bitcoin network is open to endless applications. These include:</p><ul><li>Decentralized identities,</li><li>Decentralized storage</li><li>Near instant payments</li></ul><p>All applications and smart contracts built with RSK benefit from Bitcoin’s stability and network security. Building a decentralized internet requires decentralized applications and a smart contract-based economy. RIF services exist to facilitate these and many more.</p><h2 id="header-4">RSK Infrastructure Framework (RIF)</h2><p>RSK Infrastructure Framework (RIF) is designed to put individuals in control of their data and internet interactions. This is done by promoting the rise and spread of Decentralized Sharing Economies (DSEs).</p><p>DSEs are decentralized marketplaces where users connect with other users or service providers directly without middlemen. The interactions are governed by immutable smart contracts.</p><p>RIF provides services that serve as the building blocks for a fully decentralized internet. Through these services, internet users will be able to:</p><ul><li>protect their identities and personal information,</li><li>make and receive secure payments,</li><li>store and share data without fear of compromise,</li><li>communicate online without fear of surveillance and censorship,</li><li>transact directly with service providers, and</li><li>use gateway services to carry out off-chain activities</li></ul><p>The services that enable these features will be discussed in subsequent sections.</p><h3 id="rif-identity-decentralized-identities-for-a-decentralized-internet">RIF Identity – Decentralized Identities for a Decentralized Internet</h3><p>One key role currently played by centralized internet operators is the identification of computers and users on the internet.</p><p>Internet users are forced to reveal their identities and other personal information. Sometimes, internet operators require you to provide sensitive information before assessing the internet services, marketplaces, and online social communities.</p><p>This overarching range of revealed personal information makes the user vulnerable to social engineering, surveillance, censorship, and targeted advertising. That is why the first step to creating a decentralized internet is to create secure, decentralized virtual identities for individuals. This is the motivation behind RIF Identity.</p><p><a href="https://www.rifos.org/identity" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">RIF Identity</a> uses smart contacts to provide users with the power to create and define their online identities. RIF also offers protection of the user’s personal data.</p><p>There are two critical components of RIF identity. These are<a href="https://manager.rns.rifos.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> RIF Name Service</a> (RNS) and <a href="https://identity.rifos.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">rLogin</a>.</p><ul><li>RIF Name Service (RNS)<br /></li></ul><p>RNS is an architecture that allows users to be identified on the decentralized internet via their personalized identity instead of complex and unmemorable blockchain addresses. The goal is to make financial services available to all the unbanked people in the world.</p><p>Currently, one hindrance to the worldwide adoption of the crypto economy is complex, unmemorable wallet addresses. Loss of these addresses ultimately leads to loss of funds.</p><p>To overcome this, RNS provides users with the opportunity to personalize their online identities. This does not take away all the security benefits inherent in Bitcoin&#39;s blockchain. The users’ identity is still protected.</p><ul><li>rLogin<br /></li></ul><p>rLogin’s architecture allows users to login to different platforms without needing different identities and passwords. Instead, users can log in via their favorite wallets. This works when developers integrate rLogin into their applications.</p><p>This secure yet straightforward login system provides ease and allows mass adoption for many decentralized solutions. rlogin can be integrated on all EVM blockchains such as Ethereum and RSK.</p><h3 id="rif-payments-make-fast-and-secure-payments">RIF Payments - Make Fast and Secure Payments</h3><p><a href="https://www.rifos.org/payments" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">RIF Payment</a>s is a protocol designed to allow users to make fast and low cost off-chain payments.</p><p><a href="https://developers.rsk.co/rif/lumino/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">The Lumino Network</a> is the cornerstone of RIF Payments, enabling two-way payment channels on RSK, supporting around 100 transactions per second. The Lumino Network has the potential to increase this to thousands of transactions per second as the network expands, secured by the hashing power of the Bitcoin network through merged mining.</p><h3 id="rif-gateways-secure-cross-chain-integrations">RIF Gateways – Secure Cross-chain Integrations</h3><p><a href="https://www.rifos.org/gateways" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">RIF Gateways</a> uses a set of protocols built on RSK to enable cross-chain integrations. Through these protocols, users can securely interact with off-chain events. Producers and consumers can transfer and receive off-chain data. This cross-chain data flow contributes to the RSK ecosystem by supporting comprehensive options for consuming and paying for data.</p><p>RIF Gateways has already integrated <a href="https://chain.link/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Chainlink</a> into RSK Testnet, with the Mainnet release imminent.</p><h3 id="rif-storage-secure-decentralized-file-sharing-and-storage">RIF Storage – Secure, Decentralized File Sharing and Storage</h3><p><a href="https://www.rifos.org/storage" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">RIF storage</a> seeks to offer a unified interface that connects several decentralized storage solutions such as Swarm and IPFS. This unified interface allows for seamless file storage and sharing between users of those decentralized storage platforms.</p><p>RIF storage will also provides users with complete ownership of their files and data. The data can be accessed even when the storage service is no longer active. This is contrary to centralized databases that do not allow data retrieval if the servers are down.</p><h3 id="rif-communications-private-direct-communication">RIF Communications – Private, Direct Communication</h3><p>A decentralized internet requires that users and computer nodes should be able to interact with each other without intermediaries. This is what RIF communications seeks to provide.</p><p><a href="https://www.rifos.org/communications" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">RIF Communications</a> plans to offer  a means of online communication that is private, encrypted, and strictly peer-to-peer. Users can connect to teach others via a P2P network without fear of surveillance or censorship. This means of communication provides complete privacy and anonymity.</p><p>The messages cannot be tampered with in any way or accessed by a third party. Furthermore, the communicators can choose to keep their identities anonymous so no one in the network can identify them. They can also choose to make themselves discoverable.</p><h2 id="header-5">How to Use Decentralized Internet on Bitcoin</h2><p>Decentralized internet, or Web3 is the internet built for its users.</p><p>It allows users to regain full control over their data. Through the RSK network, RIF enables internet users to leverage their most precious asset – their data.</p><p>To join the decentralized internet, you simply need to follow these three steps</p><ol><li>Create a wallet</li><li>Fund your wallet with <a href="https://www.rifos.org/index#rif-token" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">RIF Tokens</a></li><li>Use RIF services either as an end-user or as a developer.</li></ol>

RIF: The Decentralized Internet on Bitcoin

Table of Contents

RIF

Other articles published on Jan 25, 2022

Afreum - Major Updates to DeFi in Africa

Harmony 2021 Year in Review & December Updates: Chainlink, #DayONE & ecosystem growth!

DFX Cofounder Forward-Looking Statements & EOY Remarks!🐉

6 Ways ENJ & EFI Work Together

How to use PolyDEX Aggregator

Introducing PolyDEX 2.0!

Join our free newsletter for daily crypto updates!