Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of a Hybrid Blockchain–IPFS Architecture for Tamper-Proof Management of Academic Diplomas

Abstract

The management of academic diplomas in Senegal is affected by document fraud, excessive verification delays, and a lack of interoperability, particularly in cross-border transfers. This paper presents SDGDA (Decentralized System for Academic Document Management), a hybrid blockchain-IPFS architecture that natively integrates ANAQ-Sup as an institutional validation authority. The system combines Ethereum smart contracts (Solidity) for the immutable registration of metadata, decentralized IPFS storage via Pinata, a Node.js/Express backend with MongoDB, and MetaMask authentication compliant with OWASP standards. The implementation demonstrates verification times of only a few seconds, complete traceability of operations, and high resistance to tampering. The solution enables public verification through QR codes and lays the foundation for regional interoperability, thereby addressing the limitations of traditional centralized systems and existing blockchain implementations that overlook the integration of national regulatory authorities.