P⁴UIoT: Pay-Per-Piece Patch Update Delivery for IoT Using Gradual Release.

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Network Engineering
• Cybersecurity

Background:

• Traditional patch update delivery for Internet of Things (IoT) devices often faces scalability challenges and single points of failure.
• Existing distributed file-sharing solutions are not optimized for niche content like IoT-specific patch updates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel distributed framework for secure and efficient patch update delivery to IoT devices.
• To incentivize peer-to-peer (P2P) distribution of IoT patch updates, overcoming limitations of current systems.
• To address potential misbehavior between IoT devices and distributors through a pay-per-piece protocol.

Main Methods:

• Development of a distributed framework utilizing a blockchain-based lightning network for incentivizing distributors.
• Implementation of a pay-per-piece protocol for gradual release and exchange of patch update components.
• Integration of the Bitcoin lightning network with the BitTorrent delivery network for a prototype.

Main Results:

• The proposed framework enables scalable, cost-effective patch distribution for IoT devices.
• The pay-per-piece protocol effectively mitigates misbehavior and builds trust through incremental transactions.
• A prototype demonstrates the feasibility of combining blockchain incentives with P2P delivery networks.

Conclusions:

• The UIoT-pay-per-piece framework offers a scalable and cost-efficient solution for IoT patch management.
• Incentivized P2P distribution via blockchain technology enhances the reliability and security of IoT updates.
• The gradual release model fosters trust and addresses challenges in distributed content delivery.