Blockchain-Based Security Solutions for IoT Ecosystems

By: Soo Nee Kee^1,2

¹Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

²International Center for AI and Cyber Security Research and Innovations, Asia University, Taiwan Email: nee.kee2001.nks@gmail.com

Abstract

Internet of Things (IoT) has been rapidly growing in recent years. IoT devices interconnected to share data anywhere and anytime become convenient in human life. With the continuously growing demand for the IoT, many security vulnerabilities, such as spoofing, DoS attacks, privacy leakage, and eavesdropping, occur and threaten the security of IoT ecosystems. Therefore, the integration of blockchain and IoT ecosystems with Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP) is proposed to address security vulnerabilities.

Keywords: IoT, Blockchain, ZKP, SHA-256

Introduction

Blockchain technology, also known as distributed ledger technology, distributes the data across every participating node. This not only can effectively prevent the single point of failure but also prevent malicious changes to data. This is because all data will be stored in blocks, and each block connects previous blocks using a cryptographic chain; therefore, it is not possible to tamper data with any consensus. It offers transparency of the entire system, where users can observe and maintain the view of the system. [1] Blockchain can be categorised into two groups: public blockchain and private blockchain. Different groups of users can utilise different types of blockchain. [2] For example, a private blockchain is suitable for a small group of authorized users to access the data.  Integrating blockchain with IoT networks can protect privacy data, ensure secure data communication, provide disaster-proof data storage, and foster user trust.

Technologies

The paper proposed a framework that integrates the blockchain with Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP) in IoT ecosystems. ZKP is an authenticated mechanism that verifies the authenticity of users without revealing any additional data, enhancing the privacy of the blockchain and protecting user information. By leveraging ZKP can ensure secure authentication. [3] To verify the authentication, the system needs to undergo these steps. First, device wallet integration. Every IoT device will be associated with a unique digital identity. They initiate the connection with the blockchain using their device id. After establishing the connection, the IoT device generates ZKP proofs to authenticate itself with the server and blockchain. The server will check the blockchain to verify whether device identity of IoT devices is valid without reviewing the underlying data. If the IoT device is registered in the blockchain, then the authentication is granted and the ZKP proofs are validated. This mechanism only allows authenticated users to use the blockchain, improving the security of the whole IoT ecosystem. [3]

 In addition, the integration of blockchain and IoT systems can secure the data transmission across the networks. A four-layer architecture is purposed to integrate the blockchain with IoT ecosystem. The four layers are: sensor layer, edge layer, application layer, and blockchain layer. Sensor layer is the layer that consists of various end devices for data collection. Edge layer consists of two main components: edge gateway and edge server. Edge gateway gathers data from all sensors and transfers it to edge server. Edger server performs the vulnerability detection and encryption by using AES-256. The encrypted, safe data will then be transferred to blockchain. The data will be encrypted again with SHA-256 encryption before it is stored in the blockchain. Application layer provides friendly dashboards and analytic tools that allow users to monitor and analyse data, as well as detect anomalies.

Conclusion

The paper proposed a four-layer architecture with the implementation of ZKP to enhance the security of IoT ecosystems. ZKP enhances the privacy and security of IoT ecosystems, reducing the worries regarding sensitive data disclosure. The use of blockchain technology in IoT ecosystems provides decentralised storage to prevent single points of failure, foster trust by avoiding data tampering, and ensure secure data transmission. Double encryptions (AES-256 and SHA-256) further strengthen the security of IoT ecosystems and prevent vulnerabilities.

Reference

1. “Blockchain-based IoT security solutions for IDS research centers – ScienceDirect.” Accessed: Oct. 05, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542660524002488
2. “Exploring the integration of edge computing and blockchain IoT: Principles, architectures, security, and applications – ScienceDirect.” Accessed: Oct. 04, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1084804524000614
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Cite As

KEE S.N. (2024) Blockchain-Based Security Solutions for IoT Ecosystems, Insights2Techinfo, pp.1

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