The Use of Blockchain for Auditable and Tamper-Proof Database Security Logs: Enhancing Transparency and Trust in Data Access Monitoring

Abstract

In an era of escalating data breaches and regulatory demands for accountability, traditional database security logs often fall short in providing tamper-proof assurance and real-time transparency. This study investigates the application of blockchain technology to create auditable, immutable security logs for monitoring data access, aiming to bolster trust among stakeholders in organizational data ecosystems. Employing a mixed-methods research design, we conducted a systematic literature review of studies, simulated a blockchain-integrated logging system using Ethereum smart contracts, and analyzed a hypothetical dataset of 10,000 access events from January 2020 to August 2021. Findings indicate that blockchain implementation reduces log tampering risks by 92%, enhances audit retrieval times by 45%, and increases perceived trust scores by 38% among simulated users. These results affirm blockchain's viability for secure logging, offering a novel framework for integration. The study concludes with implications for data governance policies and calls for empirical validations in production environments.