Employing Blockchain, NFTs, and Digital Certificates for Unparalleled Authenticity and Data Protection of Source Code

In higher education, especially in programming-intensive fields like computer science, safeguarding students' source code is crucial to prevent theft that could impact learning and future careers. Traditional storage solutions like Google Drive are vulnerable to hacking and alterations, highlighting the need for stronger protection. This work explores digital technologies that enhance source code security, with a focus on Blockchain and NFTs. Due to Blockchain’s decentralized and immutable nature, NFTs can be used to control code ownership, improving security, traceability, and preventing unauthorized access. This approach effectively addresses existing gaps in protecting academic intellectual property. However, as Bennett et al. highlight, while these technologies have significant potential, challenges remain in large-scale implementation and user acceptance. Despite these hurdles, integrating Blockchain and NFTs presents a promising opportunity to enhance academic integrity. A successful adoption in educational settings may require a more inclusive and innovative strategy.