A decentralized framework for device authentication and data security in the next generation internet of medical things

Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized the world with its innovative and precise solutions catering a broad spectrum of applications. Smart cities, smart financial services, smart logistics, smart agriculture systems, smart healthcare management system are few applications worth mentioning. Device authentication and data security is a major concern in IoT networks as the devices used in these networks have inadequate computational processing and memory storage resources. Privacy is of paramount importance in applications such as healthcare and finance. As complex algorithms cannot be implemented on the resource-constrained IoT devices, research in the aforementioned areas is still an active subject. In this paper, we propose a mutual device and server authentication protocol using Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) for IoT devices. PUFs can be used to uniquely identify the devices and can also be used to generate random keys. As the name suggests, the keys generated by the PUFs cannot be reproduced. Using this unclonability feature, an authentication protocol has been developed. An IoT based temperature and humidity sensing module is developed to integrate the protocol and validate its effectiveness in providing the device authentication and data security.

Internet of Things (IoT) networks are being designed to connect billions of sensors/devices for an application-specific environment to provide services and carry out special tasks. It enables the virtual connection of the real-world physical devices with Internet cyberspace. While, there is an exponentially growing trend in the use of IoT technology for diverse applications such as smart agriculture, smart industries, smart hospitals, smart homes, etc., there are pressing design issues which affect the IoT network performance in the long run, for example, replacement of batteries for increasing the lifetime of devices to maintain the network longevity. To tackle this challenge, various wireless powered-based energy transfer paradigms were proposed over time. Backscatter communication (BackCom) is likewise one of the energy-efficient solutions proposed, which can satisfy the stringent green communication aspects of IoT networks. To achieve massive connectivity in BackCom-enabled IoT network, selecting a suitable multiple access scheme is also a crucial part. Most multiple access schemes proposed for BackCom systems are based on frequency or timeslots sharing techniques. Multiple access techniques proposed for BackCom IoT system can reap the gain of non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) principle. In NOMA, multiple end nodes (ENs) of sensors network is served in the same resource block, thereby, increasing the spectrum efficiency of BackCom IoT system. In this chapter, we discuss the prospects of backscatter technique with application of NOMA for green communication in IoT network.

Internet of Things (IoT) networks have been deployed widely making device authentication a crucial requirement that poses challenges related to security vulnerabilities, power consumption, and maintenance overheads. While current cryptographic techniques secure device communication; storing keys in Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) poses challenges for edge devices. Physically Unclonable Functions (PUFs) offer robust hardware-based authentication but introduce complexities such as hardware production and conservation expenses and susceptibility to aging effects. This paper’s main contribution is a novel scheme based on split learning, utilizing an encoder–decoder architecture at the device and server nodes, to first create a Virtual PUF (VPUF) that addresses the shortcomings of the hardware PUF and secondly perform device authentication. The proposed VPUF reduces maintenance and power demands compared to the hardware PUF while enhancing security by transmitting latent space representations of responses between the node and the server. Also, since the encoder is placed on the node, while the decoder is on the server, this approach further reduces the computational load and processing time on the resource-constrained node. The obtained results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed VPUF scheme in modeling the behavior of the hardware-based PUF. Additionally, we investigate the impact of Gaussian noise in the communication channel between the server and the node on the system performance. The obtained results further reveal that the achieved authentication accuracy of the proposed scheme is 100%, as measured by the validation rate of the legitimate nodes. This highlights the superior performance of the proposed scheme in emulating the capabilities of a hardware-based PUF while providing secure and efficient authentication in IoT networks.

The environmental impacts that are associated with the interconnected sensor devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) network are minimized with the utilization of green communication. This is because, when the IoT devices tend to grow, the IoT system becomes more prone to issues regarding the utilization of resources, sustainability, and energy consumption within the communication system. Tuning the communication protocols, lowering the IoT device’s energy usage rate, and establishing an effective technique for the transmission of data are performed. This is achieved by the green communication technique, which aids in the establishment of significant energy savings in the IoT network. For devices with limited power sources, the green communication technology offers an extended battery life. Despite the enormous potential of IoT technology, a number of obstacles need to be overcome, including those related to load balancing, security, storage, privacy, energy management, and device heterogeneity. In response to the challenges posed by conventional models, an innovative solution for the selection of Cluster Head (CH) using a hybrid approach is devised here. The energy consumption of sensor nodes is influenced by various factors, such asCH load, temperature, distance, residual energy, the number of alive nodes, delay, and so on. To address these challenges in IoT networks, a hybrid approach that combines the Squid Game Optimizer (SGO) and the Artificial Gorilla Troops Optimizer (AGTO) for the optimal selection of CH is suggested. The implemented approach is named Hybrid Squid Game with Artificial Gorilla Troops Optimizer (HSG-AGTO). This approach aims to optimize the above-mentioned factors and overcome energy consumption challenges in IoT networks. The effectiveness of the model is validated, and the results demonstrate the superior performance of the suggested model.

IoT devices rely on authentication mechanisms to render secure message exchange. During data transmission, scalability, data integrity, and processing time have been considered challenging aspects for a system constituted by IoT devices. The application of physical unclonable functions (PUFs) ensures secure data transmission among the internet of things (IoT) devices in a simplified network with an efficient time-stamped agreement. This paper proposes a secure, lightweight, cost-efficient reinforcement machine learning framework (SLCR-MLF) to achieve decentralization and security, thus enabling scalability, data integrity, and optimized processing time in IoT devices. PUF has been integrated into SLCR-MLF to improve the security of the cluster head node in the IoT platform during transmission by providing the authentication service for device-to-device communication. An IoT network gathers information of interest from multiple cluster members selected by the proposed framework. In addition, the software-defined secured (SDS) technique is integrated with SLCR-MLF to improve data integrity and optimize processing time in the IoT platform. Simulation analysis shows that the proposed framework outperforms conventional methods regarding the network’s lifetime, energy, secured data retrieval rate, and performance ratio. By enabling the proposed framework, number of residual nodes is reduced to 16%, energy consumption is reduced by up to 50%, almost 30% improvement in data retrieval rate, and network lifetime is improved by up to 1000 msec.

Survey on blockchain for Internet of Things

A blockchain-enabled Model integrates blockchain technology with Intrusion Detection Systems to enhance the security of Internet of Things (IoT) networks. It ensures data integrity, decentralization, and tamper-proof logging of intrusion detection. The approach improves trust, transparency, and real-time threat detection in distributed IoT environments. The existing blockchain-based IDS approaches, Blockchain Enabled (BCE-IoT), uniquely integrate blockchain consensus with federated-style local training, lightweight cryptography, and Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP)-based explainability, ensuring both security and interpretability in IoT environments. The proposed work combines Blockchain technology with explainable artificial intelligence solutions to create a new cybersecurity Model that strengthens intrusion detection within IoT networks. The proposed model enhances transparency in tracking cyberattacks by combining blockchain security storage capabilities with SHAP, an explainable AI. This research utilises machine learning and artificial intelligence to detect threats in real-time, countering Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS), Denial of Service (DoS), scanning, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), injection, password, and backdoor attacks. BCE-IoT delivers more precise security by combining blockchain’s permanent data features and AI anomaly detectors, thereby reducing security alert mistakes. The performance effectiveness of Blockchain-Enabled IoT surpasses that of the Content Integrity Detection System. It combines Blockchain and Software-Defined Networking to enhance security in network environments, utilising blockchain-based mutual confirmation for software-defined networking to detect and block cyber threats. The evaluation establishes BCE-IoT as an effective IoT network security solution that delivers strong cybersecurity features, is adaptable to modern connected environments, and offers interpretable security solutions. The performance evaluations demonstrate that BCE-IoT provides a robust, flexible, and interpretable cybersecurity solution suitable for modern IoT environments.

The blockchain network architecture is a promising technology for constructing highly secure Internet of Things (IoT) networks. IoT networks typically consist of many sensors and actuators. Blockchain network technology can be applied to secure control robots in smart factories or for reliable drone delivery in smart cities. The distributed ledger and data block validation across blockchain networks guarantee the ultimate data security. However, the current blockchain technology is restricted in terms of its overall deployment across IoT networks. A general permissionless blockchain technology typically targets high-performance network nodes with sufficient computing power and memory space. A blockchain node with less computing power and memory, such as an IoT sensor or actuator, cannot employ blockchain technology as a fully functional node. A lightweight blockchain provides practical blockchain availability to IoT networks. We propose an operational advance to develop a lightweight blockchain for IoT networks. The opportunistic block validation optimizes the block validation process. It measures the network vulnerability based on the node reputation, block validation degree, number of fraudulent messages, and network stability. The reinforcement learning mechanism employed in the opportunistic block validation determines whether block validation is to be performed. Two separately developed reinforcement learning methods can increase the processing performance while maintain the transaction data integrity. In addition, the proposed blockchain technology is easily implementable because it adopts a Hyperledger development environment. Directly embedding the proposed blockchain middleware platform in small computing devices proves the practicability of the proposed block validation mechanism.

Ubiquitous sensing enabled networks have transformed the living chores into a modern living standard in which each move is automated. The dependency of humans on IoT is increasing every day, so the IoT networks must be efficient and secure. Secure communication in the Internet of Things (IoT) networks is a hotly debated research issue. Cryptography is one of the solutions for secure data transmission. In IoT networks, designing a cryptography algorithm is a major challenge for resource constraint environment. So, when we talk about cryptography in IoT, this term transforms into “lightweight cryptography.” This paper presents a review of lightweight cryptography algorithms in the form of a stream cipher, block cipher, symmetric encryption, and asymmetric encryption.

The rapid expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT) has introduced unprecedented cybersecurity challenges, as traditional cryptographic methods struggle to provide both efficiency and quantum resistance in resource-constrained environments. This research introduces Adaptive Quantum Cryptography (AQC), a novel security framework that integrates Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), Quantum Random Number Generators (QRNGs), and AI-driven dynamic adaptation to safeguard IoT networks against evolving cyber threats. Unlike classical encryption techniques such as RSA and ECC, which are vulnerable to quantum attacks, AQC leverages quantum mechanical principles—such as superposition, entanglement, and the no-cloning theorem—to ensure provably secure key exchange and data encryption. The proposed AQC system dynamically adjusts cryptographic protocols based on real-time network conditions, computational resources, and threat intelligence, optimizing security without imposing excessive overhead. Experimental evaluations demonstrate that AQC achieves a 70% improvement in key exchange efficiency, a 50% reduction in computational load, and a 95% resilience rate against quantum attacks compared to conventional encryption methods. Additionally, the integration of QRNGs enhances cryptographic key entropy, while AI-driven anomaly detection enables proactive threat mitigation. This framework is particularly suited for next-generation IoT applications, including smart grids, autonomous vehicles, and industrial automation, where security, scalability, and energy efficiency are critical. By combining quantum-resistant algorithms with adaptive security mechanisms, AQC provides forward secrecy, resistance to quantum adversaries, and robust authentication, ensuring long-term protection for IoT ecosystems in the post-quantum era. The findings underscore AQC’s potential as a foundational security architecture for future quantum-safe IoT networks.

A fuzzy based Co-Operative Blackmailing Attack detection scheme for Edge Computing nodes in MANET-IOT environment

Background. With the proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) networks in the digital age, the risk of cyberattacks, especially DDoS attacks, is also increasing. IoT devices such as smart refrigerators, thermostats, webcams and other Internet-connected home appliances are being targeted by attackers who can use them as part of a botnet to conduct DDoS attacks. These devices often have inadequate network security and are rarely updated, making them vulnerable. DDoS attacks can result in significant losses such as lost revenue, reputational damage and costs to restore services. So, the vulnerability of IoT networks to DDoS attacks and the need to develop effective protection measures is a pressing issue. Objective. The purpose of the paper is to analyse software that supports DDoS attacks in IoT networks. Provide general recommendations to help improve approaches to defence measures in IoT networks against DDoS-enabled malware. Methods. Five main DDoS attack models are considered: agent-handler model, reflexive model, IRC-based model, web-based model, and P2P-based model. Three most dangerous software capable of DDoS attacks on IoT networks are analyzed: Mirai, XOR.DDoS and Linux.Hydra. Results. There are many models and methods of DDoS attacks on IoT networks. The most dangerous are Mirai, XOR.DDoS and Linux.Hydra. Each of these software has its own specific characteristics and methods of carrying out attacks. The study also showed that there are several effective measures to counter these attacks, including setting strong passwords, regularly updating software, setting up traffic filters and restricting network access. Conclusions. Key aspects of DDoS attacks, their models and process steps are considered. The paper focuses on the three most dangerous software used to conduct such attacks and provides recommendations on how to counteract them.

In this paper, we address the problem of green Compressed Sensing (CS) reconstruction within Internet of Things (IoT) networks, both in terms of computing architecture and reconstruction algorithms. The approach is novel since, unlike most of the literature dealing with energy efficient gathering of the CS measurements, we focus on the energy efficiency of the signal reconstruction stage given the CS measurements. As a first novel contribution, we present an analysis of the energy consumption within the IoT network under two computing architectures. In the first one, reconstruction takes place within the IoT network and the reconstructed data are encoded and transmitted out of the IoT network; in the second one, all the CS measurements are forwarded to off-network devices for reconstruction and storage, i.e., reconstruction is off-loaded. Our analysis shows that the two architectures significantly differ in terms of consumed energy, and it outlines a theoretically motivated criterion to select a green CS reconstruction computing architecture. Specifically, we present a suitable decision function to determine which architecture outperforms the other in terms of energy efficiency. The presented decision function depends on a few IoT network features, such as the network size, the sink connectivity, and other systems’ parameters. As a second novel contribution, we show how to overcome classical performance comparison of different CS reconstruction algorithms usually carried out w.r.t. the achieved accuracy. Specifically, we consider the consumed energy and analyze the energy vs. accuracy trade-off. The herein presented approach, jointly considering signal processing and IoT network issues, is a relevant contribution for designing green compressive sampling architectures in IoT networks.

Ensemble classification using traffic flow metrics to predict distributed denial of service scope in the Internet of Things (IoT) networks

ABSTRACTThe rapid evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized various sectors, fostering seamless intercommunication and real‐time monitoring. Central to this transformation is integrating blockchain technology, which ensures data integrity and security in IoT networks. This paper provides a meticulous exploration of data aggregation techniques within the context of blockchain‐based IoT systems. The study categorizes data aggregation algorithms into Privacy‐Preserving, Machine Learning‐Based, Hierarchical, Real‐Time, and Custom Aggregation Algorithms, each tailored to specific IoT requirements. Privacy‐Preserving Aggregation Algorithms focus on safeguarding sensitive data through encryption and secure protocols. Machine Learning‐Based Aggregation adapts dynamically to data patterns, offering predictive insights and real‐time adaptability. Hierarchical Aggregation organizes devices into a structured hierarchy, optimizing data processing. Real‐Time Aggregation processes data instantly, ensuring low latency for time‐sensitive applications. Custom Aggregation Algorithms are bespoke solutions tailored to unique application demands, emphasizing efficiency and security. Through a comparative analysis of these techniques, this paper explores their advantages, disadvantages, and applicability, addressing the challenges and suggesting future research directions. The integration of blockchain‐based data aggregation techniques not only enhances IoT network efficiency but also ensures the longevity and security of modern technological infrastructures. This study builds upon prior research in the field of IoT and blockchain technology by extending the exploration of data aggregation techniques and their implications for network efficiency and security. SLR method has been used to investigate each one in terms of influential properties such as the main idea, advantages, disadvantages, and strategies. The results indicate most of the articles were published in 2021 and 2022. Moreover, some important parameters such as privacy and security, latency, data processing, energy consumption, complexity, and reliability were involved in these investigations.