IIJ Conducts Demonstration on Ensuring Data Provenance Using a Multi-Cloud Data Distribution Platform

The company has completed a demonstration experiment, by June 2026, to ensure data provenance (i.e., that the data source is legitimate, with no tampering or impersonation) in data distribution, using a platform developed under the commissioned project "Development of Hybrid Cloud Utilization Infrastructure Technology" (※1) by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), a national research and development agency. This platform aims to realize automated data protection and distribution technologies.

In this demonstration, we utilized "e-seal" (※2), a technology attracting attention for ensuring data authenticity, and integrated it with the data distribution platform developed under the commissioned project and an electronic signature service. We applied e-seals to target data and conducted signature verification by data users, confirming the effectiveness of enhancing reliability in inter-organizational data distribution.

(※1) Press release dated November 8, 2023: IIJ commissioned to research and develop "Automated Data Protection and Distribution Technology in Multi-Cloud Environments" under the "Economic Security Key Technology Development Program": https://www.iij.ad.jp/news/pressrelease/2023/1108.html

(※2) A technology that certifies the source of electronic data issued by organizations such as corporations and proves that it has not been altered. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has established a certification system for e-seal-related services under the authority of the Minister, effective from March 30, 2026.

Background

In recent years, while data collaboration among enterprises and organizations is expanding, ensuring the authenticity of distributed data has become a critical challenge. The importance of mechanisms that can verify "who created the data" and "whether it has been tampered with during distribution" is increasing.

Since July 2023, the company has been researching and developing a data distribution platform to enable cross-organizational data collaboration in a multi-cloud environment, aiming to use various data with high reliability and improved usability. This time, we conducted a demonstration experiment to achieve reliable data distribution by ensuring data provenance.

Overview of the Demonstration Experiment

In this demonstration, we verified the authenticity of target data by combining e-seal technology with the data distribution platform developed under the commissioned project and CyberTrust's electronic signature service, "iTrust Remote Signing Service" (※3). While e-seal is generally expected to be used for document data such as contracts and certificates, this demonstration used generic data regardless of type or purpose, conducting verification with practical inter-organizational data collaboration in mind.

Main Verification Process

- Issued e-seal certificates, guaranteeing the existence of legal entities, using the iTrust Remote Signing Service

- Applied e-seals and timestamps (proving the existence time of data) to the target data

- Transmitted and received data with e-seals and timestamps between data providers and recipients

- Conducted e-seal signature verification on the recipient side to confirm the source and absence of tampering

- Evaluated the operationality and reliability of the entire data distribution process

Conceptual Image of Data Provenance Verification in the Data Distribution Platform

(※3) An electronic signature service provided by CyberTrust, compliant with global standard long-term signature formats (PAdES/XAdES) that combine electronic signatures and timestamps.

Demonstration Results

Through this demonstration, we confirmed the following outcomes, indicating the effectiveness of ensuring data provenance:

- e-seal clearly proves the source of data

- The iTrust Remote Signing Service enables secure and efficient signature application

- During data distribution, the data collaboration control technology developed under the commissioned project appropriately detects tampering and verifies authenticity

- High-reliability data distribution among multiple organizations is achievable

Future Developments

Based on the results of this verification, the company will work toward realizing secure and reliable data collaboration. We will continue exploring new approaches to data collaboration using data spaces and AI, and develop and provide consulting services and data space connectivity services to support advanced data utilization in enterprises and industries.

(※) The research results described in this press release were achieved under NEDO's (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization) commissioned project "Economic Security Key Technology Development Program / Development of Hybrid Cloud Utilization Infrastructure Technology" (JPNP23013).