Ad-hoc trusted groups on a blockchain

A system, comprising:

• a group of blockchain member devices identified as a trusted group configured to communicate over a trusted group communication channel;
• a computing device configured to
• assign each of the blockchain member devices public/private key pairs;
• publish the public keys of the blockchain member devices in a list;
• identify a request from a first blockchain member device requesting a private key, associated with a second blockchain member device, be applied to a predetermined nonce value;
• responsive to a response to the request being identified, verify, via a public key assigned to the first blockchain member device, that the second blockchain member device is a trusted member of the group of blockchain member devices;
• and
• responsive to the second blockchain member device being verified as a trusted member of the group of blockchain member devices, permit communication between the first blockchain member device and the second blockchain member device on the trusted group communication channel.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform:

• identifying a group of blockchain member devices attempting to establish a trusted group communication channel;
• assigning each of the blockchain member devices public/private key pairs;
• publishing the public keys of the blockchain member devices in a list;
• identifying a request from a first blockchain member device requesting a private key, associated with a second blockchain member device, be applied to a predetermined nonce value;
• responsive to identifying a response to the request, verifying, via a public key assigned to the first blockchain member device, that the second blockchain member device is a trusted member of the group of blockchain member devices;
• and
• responsive to verifying the second blockchain member device is a trusted member of the group of blockchain member devices, permitting communication between the first blockchain member device and the second blockchain member device on the trusted group communication channel.