Public Key Reinforced Blockchain Platform for Fog-IoT Network System Administration

TL;DR

This paper proposes a blockchain-based platform utilizing public-key encryption to secure fog-IoT networks, ensuring data integrity and access control amidst increasing device connectivity and potential security threats.

Contribution

It introduces a novel security framework combining public-key cryptography with permissioned blockchain technology for fog-IoT networks.

Findings

The platform effectively secures data transactions against endpoint attacks.

Qualitative tests confirm the feasibility and security enhancement of the proposed system.

The design enables convenient and secure network management.

Abstract

The number of embedded devices that connect to a wireless network has been growing for the past decade. This interaction creates a network of Internet of Things (IoT) devices where data travel continuously. With the increase of devices and the need for the network to extend via fog computing, we have fog-based IoT networks. However, with more endpoints introduced to it, the network becomes open to malicious attackers. This work attempts to protect fog-based IoT networks by creating a platform that secures the endpoints through public-key encryption. The servers are allowed to mask the data packets shared within the network. To be able to track all of the encryption processes, we incorporated the use of permissioned blockchains. This technology completes the security layer by providing an immutable and automated data structure to function as a hyper ledger for the network. Each data transaction incorporates a handshake mechanism with the use of a public key pair. This design guarantees that only devices that have proper access through the keys can use the network. Hence, management is made convenient and secure. The implementation of this platform is through a wireless server-client architecture to simulate the data transactions between devices. The conducted qualitative tests provide an in-depth feasibility investigation on the network's levels of security. The results show the validity of the design as a means of fortifying the network against endpoint attacks.