Securing MQTT by Blockchain-Based OTP Authentication.

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Cybersecurity
• Distributed Systems

Background:

• The Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm presents significant security challenges due to the inherent conflict between security requirements and economic/energy constraints.
• The widely adopted Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) protocol lacks native secure authentication mechanisms, hindering widespread adoption.
• Inadequate security measures in IoT can negatively impact user trust and the overall feasibility of the technology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel authentication schema for the MQTT protocol to address its native security limitations.
• To enhance the security of IoT communications by implementing a robust authentication mechanism.
• To ensure privacy, trust, and accountability in IoT interactions.

Main Methods:

• Development of a new one-time password (OTP) authentication schema tailored for MQTT.
• Integration of the Ethereum blockchain as a second-factor, out-of-band authentication channel.
• Utilization of Ethereum smart contracts to manage authentication, preserve privacy, and ensure accountability.

Main Results:

• The proposed schema enables secure authentication for both local and remote devices within an IoT network.
• The use of the Ethereum blockchain provides a decentralized and tamper-proof authentication layer.
• User privacy is preserved through the secure and controlled authentication process.

Conclusions:

• The novel OTP-based authentication schema effectively enhances MQTT security for IoT applications.
• The integration with the Ethereum blockchain offers a trustworthy and accountable solution for device authentication.
• This approach facilitates the secure and widespread adoption of IoT technologies by addressing critical security concerns.