Secure Online Auction Portal

Abstract

As the name states, The Online Auction System is a medium that enables users to buy and sell products through auctions offered online. Both sellers and you can create a product on the platform, where bids can be placed against this created product. By also utilizing a system with emphasis on local availability of products, we allow users to see their products before purchasing them – much unlike the current existing models. The easy-to-use interface gives opportunities to buy and sell even the non-technical users from home hassle-free.

Introduction

I. INTRODUCTION

Traditional business models have transformed with digital platforms and one among them is the E-Auction system. Online auctions (also called as “electronic reverse bid auctions”, “reverse auctions” or simply “e-auction”) are the process in which buyers and sellers enter into a competitive marketplace via the internet. This paper will focus on the development of a system software for live auctions where sellers can sell their products and buyers can bid to buy those products.

A unique registration process segregates users into two categories: vendors and customers. The two groups converge when it comes to a common login page, yet several distinctions exist once the user identifies their type. Vendors create product listings; customers bid for them and buy them. Also, users can give feedback as positive, negative or neutral and live chat support is available for any doubts regarding e-auction.

This research paper gets into the aspects of design and functionality of the e-auction platform used, which aims to create vignette economy by inviting through an auction mechanism so as to generate competitive bidding that in turns creates better values viz the prices; have simple vendor & customer friendly interfaces and give trustworthy feedback mechanisms. Our goal is to study new design principles for e-commerce technologies, with a particular focus on auction-based systems.

The emergence of online auction platforms has undoubtedly changed the face of modern e-commerce, as they provide a competitive and transparent space for vendors to showcase their products to potential customers. The platform developed with this project intends to fully utilise the advantage of e-auctions by streamlining the process involved while listing, bidding or purchasing products. With an easy-to-use web app that can be used from anywhere, this platform guarantees a seamless and user-friendly site for both vendors as well as buyer to use so that they can take part in the auctions easily. Reverse auctions, where multiple buyers bid their way up to a product is at the heart of the platform design. This process helps vendors get higher prices for their goods, inventories lower in costs and buyers find items such as unique or limited, premiums it at prices that can be incentivizing.

The structured bidding process is one key feature of the platform. All auctions have a time limit and an opening and closing hour. It guarantees that, all bidders have had the opportunity to be notified long before the sale ends, and "late" bids will not drive a new bidder out. The platform also incorporates native support for multi bids per user, giving buyers the opportunity to vary their tactics as they follow the auction.

Each vendor has special menus and other functions including the ability to add their products, features allowing for setting the stating bid prices, uploading product images. We stay in our workspaces, creating and distributing auctions while the customers are more interested in browsing the available items, placing bids and being able to track all their actions. By dividing the roles, neither group is required to perform tasks outside of their area of expertise in a way that adds complexity for its own sake.

II. LITERATURE SURVEY

This literature survey provides a detailed analysis of recent research contributions to secure online auction portals, focusing on Blockchain, privacy-preserving Cryptographic methods, IoT, Cloud Computing, and Vehicular Networks. These papers represent the forefront of research aimed at addressing the emerging security challenges in online auctions, particularly with the rise of decentralized and distributed computing systems. The research papers that we have studied and analysed critically are:

1) "Blockchain-Based Secure and Fair Online Auction System" by Goll, N. L., Ritzdorf, H., & Gervais, A. (2019)

This paper presents a Blockchain-based auction protocol to ensure fairness, transparency, and security in online auctions. The authors’ leverage smart contracts to decentralize the auction process, eliminating the need for a trusted third party. The proposed system provides protection against bid manipulation, tampering, and fraud, while ensuring that the auction process is immutable and transparent. This work is foundational in demonstrating how Blockchain can be used to solve traditional security problems in online auctions [1].

2) "Secure and Privacy-Preserving Online Auction for Blockchain-Based Distributed Cloud" by Zhou, Y., Liang, X., Lu, R., & Shen, X. (2019)

The authors propose a ‘privacy-preserving auction protocol’ for cloud-based environments using Blockchain. Their approach allows bidders to maintain the privacy of their bids while utilizing the trustless environment of Blockchain. By combining cryptographic techniques with the decentralized nature of Blockchain, they ensure that auction data remains secure and verifiable. This study focuses on the intersection of cloud computing and Blockchain, addressing the challenges of distributed auction environments where data privacy is paramount [2].

3) "Blockchain and Auction Markets: A Framework for Designing Auction Protocols" by Roeers, N., & Sandner, P. (2020)

This paper provides a conceptual framework for designing Blockchain-based auction markets, focusing on how Blockchain can enhance trust, transparency, and fairness in auction systems. The authors explore the potential of Blockchain to improve the reliability of auction outcomes and reduce fraud by ensuring the immutability of transaction records. The work serves as a guideline for developers and researchers seeking to integrate Blockchain into existing auction platforms [3].

4) "A Privacy-Preserving Sealed-Bid Auction Scheme Based on Blockchain" by Yang, Z., Feng, H., & Liu, X. (2020)

The authors propose a sealed-bid auction mechanism using Blockchain technology to enhance privacy and security. The system ensures that bid values remain hidden from the auctioneer, preventing any manipulation or exposure of sensitive information. By leveraging the inherent properties of Blockchain, the system provides a verifiable and transparent platform for conducting sealed-bid auctions, which are crucial in high-stakes Transactions where bid confidentiality is critical [4].

5) "Blockchain-Based Sealed-Bid Auction Protocol for Internet of Things" by Wang, Y., Guo, H., Zhang, W., & Han, Z. (2020)

This paper extends Blockchain-based sealed-bid auction protocols to the Internet of Things (IoT), where the security of auctions in distributed, resource-constrained environments is a major concern. The protocol protects the confidentiality of bids and ensures data integrity and scalability, two significant challenges in IoT systems. This research demonstrates how blockchain technology can be applied to secure resource allocation and bidding in IoT ecosystems, highlighting the flexibility of Blockchain in various fields [5].

6) "Secure and Efficient Blockchain-Based Auction for Cloud Resource Allocation" by Hou, X., Yan, J., & Wang, J. (2020)

This paper focuses on resource allocation in cloud environments, proposing a Blockchain-based auction system to enhance security and efficiency. The authors address the challenges of trust and fairness in cloud resource bidding by employing Blockchain to ensure transparency and prevent bid tampering. This study contributes to the literature by showing how auctions can be securely integrated into dynamic, resource-constrained environments like cloud computing, where rapid and secure resource allocation is essential [6].

7) "Blockchain for Secure and Efficient Data Auction in Vehicular Networks" by Kang, J., Yu, R., Huang, X., & Zhang, Y. (2021)

This paper introduces a Blockchain-based auction framework for vehicular networks, a domain where secure, real-time data auctions are necessary for optimizing bandwidth and resource usage. The authors leverage Blockchain to prevent fraudulent behavior and ensure data privacy in a decentralized network of vehicles. The system provides bid privacy, data integrity, and fairness, which are crucial in vehicular communications, where trust between participants is minimal, and data must be auctioned dynamically [7].

III. SYSTEM AND WORKING

A. Methodology

The To accomplish the goals of developing the online auction management system, a preliminary study of software's viability must be conducted first. This chapter covers many research and methodology approaches as well as the software development approaches that will be employed in the creation of the online auction system and that need be taken into account for this project. The word methodology describes a methodical approach to completing all tasks by offering a foundation for growth. The specifics of the many approaches that are applied to this project are covered in this chapter. The development team can more efficiently and effectively organize their work with the aid of software development approaches.

1. Research Methodology: An online auction portal's design, development, and security were all approached methodically as part of the study technique for this project. Through a research of case studies and literature, we first determined the difficulties and security flaws in the current auction systems. There are many different methodologies used in various types of research and the term is considered to include research design, data gathering and data analysis. In computer science research methodologies can be grouped into experimental, theoretical, simulation, formal and building methods.
2. Formal Methodology: The main purpose of formal techniques in computer science research is to validate facts about algorithms and systems. This would include the time complexity of the various auction bids and the accuracy of the various algorithms that are used to generate the seller's quality and shill score calculations in order to enable the automatic verification of an implementation of the software components in the online auction site itself. The formal approach is a research methodology that is grounded to theory and mathematics. Because it uses information signals, shill scores created for each vendor, and feedback scores from winning bidders to assess the quality of products and sellers, the online auction site is not predicated on demonstrating any theories or algorithms.
3. Logical Design: The main characteristics of an information system are displayed along with their relationships through logical design. Creating logical design elements is the initial stage of system design. This is the most crucial, inventive stage. During the design phase, we must determine the challenges that the current system faces in order to determine how the proposed system would meet the requirements that were determined during the system analysis. Details pertaining to the implementation of the solutions should be incorporated into the logical design of the suggested system. It also outlines the type of reports that must be produced and how the database shall be constructed for the purpose of storing and retrieving data.
4. Input Design: Input design suggests the interaction between a system containing information and the user, It surrounds all aspects of growing a data preparation specification and a method that is necessary for transforming transaction data into suitable data entry processing. The design of the form also has to consider input requirements for the form and its usability, an effort required to fill the form, chances of errors occurring, time taken to gather information, for reduction of the process and steps to be taken, and simplifying the whole process. The necessity of data about the asset items, depreciation rates, transfer of assets, physical verification, etc. arises during the various validation, checking and calculating of the reports’ generation system. Another aspect of the software is the error raising method which helps to raise error messages while a wrong entry of input is done.
5. Output Design: The most significant and direct source of information for the user is computer output. The process of creating the reports that consumers need to get in accordance with the specifications is known as output design. Effective, comprehensible output design should facilitate decision-making and enhance the system's relationship with the user. Given that the management is using the reports to guide decision-making and conclusion-drawing, they must be meticulously designed, with user-friendly facts that are straightforward and descriptive. Therefore, the following factors should be taken into account when developing output.

• To decide what data to display.
• Setting up the information presentation in a way that is acceptable.
• To determine how to allocate the output to the designated recipients.

Database Design: A well-designed database is the one that distributes the data into tables based on specific subject areas. To decrease data redundancy, database delivers the information needed to link the data in the tables. It also provides support, and guarantees precision and reliability of data and functions interactively with the database operators as much as possible.

B. Flow of Work

The use case of users within the system, as portrayed in the use case diagram, is spearheaded by users who are either buyers or sellers registering into the online auction portal. After registering, users can explore and view the available products.

New listings can be created by sellers by filling in necessary details such as: pictures, titles, price, descriptions and selecting relevant categories for their auction items. From the buyers’ front, they can place bids on items which are for sale, and where their bids succeed, they will be able to complete the transaction by going through the payment procedure.

In terms of management, the administrator is always in charge of overseeing a number of system components. This includes adding, altering, or deleting existing listings when necessary, managing users, including password recovery, or even entire accounts deletion, and establishing or eliminating items within the catalogue. By managing user actions and listings, the administrator ensures the system operates safely and effectively. Such defined and well-elaborated procedure ensures that the platform is user friendly to both the buyers and sellers while availing the necessary tricks to the admin so as to protect the trust of the platform.

Fig. 1 Flow of Work

IV. RESULT

The Our results on the online auction portal have witnessed a remarkable improvement, providing a new perspective to the auction process which enthuses both the buyers and sellers. Our platform allows more participation in the auction process by abolishing geographical barriers, location restrictions and time constraints. Analytical evaluation demonstrates the average load time of the performance metrics as being acceptable, accompanied by a high rate of uptime, therefore indicating the reliability of the portal. Usability testing involving the application of user login and protection of information demonstrated the efficiency of our security measures.

Further, users pointed out an easy interface and a seamless bidding experience as the portal’s advantages and provided ideas for its further improvement. Thus, it is fair to say that our project enhances the development of online auction systems, as users are provided with a safe and highly interactive portal enabling them to conduct transactions online whilst bringing change to the old concept of conducting auctions.

This online auction system does not only improve the bidding process, but it also gives the users power and authority through a fair and effective system. PHP, HTML, CSS and JavaScript are modern web technologies which will be used to ensure a qualified and responsive design for various needs.

Fig. 2 Home Page of Secure Online Auction Portal

Fig. 3 Registration Page for Users (Buyer or Seller)

Fig. 4 Form for Seller to List an Auction

Fig. 5 Admin Login Page of Secure Online Auction Portal

Conclusion

The advanced, Internet-based auction portal, as demonstrated in this paper, is an overwhelming breakthrough in the operations of auctions that dismantles barriers to both sellers and buyers so that they can transact more freely. The platform removes both time and space obstacles, making it easy for more people to participate in auctions. Today’s users have a responsive design easy-to-use experience and interact with different devices because of integration of modern web technologies such as PHP, HTML, AND JS. Such a technological development would efficiently simplify the bidding process and even provide transparency which is important in reassuring users. In addition, this study helps in understanding how online auction systems can deploy themselves differently to satisfy changing market conditions. The evolution of e-commerce also points to the necessity of effective and secure systems in future platforms. By facilitating secure transactions online through the auction portal, the platform enhances users’ experience and also promotes itself as an effective instrument of digital commerce. In the end, this project develops an understanding of how innovative solutions can redefine the traditional auction system.

References

[1] Goll, N. L., Ritzdorf, H., & Gervais, A. (2019) “Blockchain-Based Secure and Fair Online Auction System” In Proceedings of the 26th Network and Distributed System Security Symposium (NDSS). [DOI: 10.14722/ndss.2019.23369] [2] Zhou, Y., Liang, X., Lu, R., & Shen, X. (2019) “Secure and Privacy-Preserving Online Auction for Blockchain-Based Distributed Cloud” In IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security, 14(4), 1034-1045. [DOI: 10.1109/TIFS.2018.2876841] [3] Roeers, N., & Sandner, P. (2020) “Blockchain and Auction Markets: A Framework for Designing Auction Protocols” In Journal of Business Economics, 90(4), 503-529. [DOI: 10.1007/s11573-020-00971-5] [4] Yang, Z., Feng, H., & Liu, X. (2020) “A Privacy-Preserving Sealed-Bid Auction Scheme Based on Blockchain” In Journal of Parallel and Distributed Computing, 138, 37-46. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jpdc.2019.12.007] [5] Wang, Y., Guo, H., Zhang, W., & Han, Z. (2020) “Blockchain-Based Sealed-Bid Auction Protocol for Internet of Things” In IEEE Internet of Things Journal, 7(8), 7461-7469. [DOI: 10.1109/JIOT.2020.2984996] [6] Hou, X., Yan, J., & Wang, J. (2020) “Secure and Efficient Blockchain-Based Auction for Cloud Resource Allocation” In IEEE Access, 8, 12365-12376. [DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2020.2970627] [7] Kang, J., Yu, R., Huang, X., & Zhang, Y. (2021) “Blockchain for Secure and Efficient Data Auction in Vehicular Networks” In IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, 70(5), 4252-4264. [DOI: 10.1109/TVT.2021.3071377] [8] Zheng, Z., Xie, S., Dai, H., Chen, X., & Wang, H. (2020) “An Overview of Blockchain Applications: Challenges and Opportunities” In IEEE Transactions on Smart Data, 7(4), 522-540. [DOI: 10.1109/TSC.2020.2976926] [9] Chen, T., Zhang, Y., Li, M., & Ma, J. (2020) “A Blockchain-Based Anonymous Auction Protocol for IoT-Enabled Systems” In Journal of Parallel and Distributed Computing, 139, 75-87. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jpdc.2020.01.006] [10] Wang, L., Zhang, S., Xu, L., & Shi, W. (2021) “Privacy-Preserving Blockchain-Based Auction for Internet of Vehicles” In IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems, 22(11), 6830-6842. [DOI: 10.1109/TITS.2021.3051084] [11] Chen, H., Yin, S., & Li, C. (2021) “Post-Quantum Cryptography-Based Auction Protocol for Blockchain” In IEEE Access, 9, 23498-23509. [DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3057592] [12] Banik, A., Rahman, S., & Basu, S. (2021) “A Blockchain-Based Auction System for Resource Allocation in Cloud Computing” In International Journal of Computer Science and Information Security (IJCSIS), 19(3), 127-138. [13] Kim, H., Cho, J., & Oh, J. (2021) “A Secure Auction System Using Privacy-Preserving Aggregation and Homomorphic Encryption” In Journal of Cryptographic Engineering, 11(3), 253-268. [DOI: 10.1007/s13389-021-00244-1] [14] Zhang, W., Huang, L., & Lu, Y. (2022) “A Blockchain-Based Privacy-Preserving Auction Mechanism for Edge Computing” In IEEE Transactions on Network Science and Engineering, 9(1), 354-364. [DOI: 10.1109/TNSE.2022.3152765] [15] Xiao, L., & Lin, S. (2022) “Privacy-Preserving Blockchain-Based Secure Auction in Vehicular Networks” In IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, 71(4), 3325-3335. [DOI: 10.1109/TVT.2022.3153054]

Copyright

Copyright © 2024 Annaji Kuthe, Sandesh Shangarwar, Piyush Burde, Prajwal Sakhale, Yegnesh Kamble, Raj Bhende, Jidnyasa Thakre. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.