Hash-Chain Fog/Edge: A Mode-Based Hash-Chain for Secured Mutual Authentication Protocol Using Zero-Knowledge Proofs...

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Cybersecurity
• Network Engineering

Background:

• Internet of Things (IoT) devices are increasingly vulnerable due to mass production and neglected security requirements.
• Existing authentication methods are insufficient against evolving cyber threats, including IoT distributed denial of service attacks.
• Secure mutual authentication is critical for fog/edge computing environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and implement a novel mode-based hash chain protocol for secure mutual authentication in fog/edge computing.
• To address the vulnerability of IoT devices and enhance security against unauthorized access.
• To develop an efficient protocol for dynamically interconnecting fog servers and edge devices.

Main Methods:

• Utilized mode-based hash chaining, timestamps, and zero-knowledge proof properties.
• Employed a distributed database/blockchain for immutable public key management.
• Implemented cryptographic techniques for secure communication and session key agreement.

Main Results:

• The developed Hash-Chain Fog/Edge (HCFE) protocol provides a novel mutual authentication scheme.
• HCFE demonstrates high security against unauthorized attacks and efficient session key agreement using Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP) properties.
• Experimental outcomes confirm HCFE's efficiency in interconnecting numerous devices and favorable benchmark performance.

Conclusions:

• The HCFE protocol offers a robust and efficient solution for secure mutual authentication in fog/edge computing environments.
• The protocol effectively mitigates IoT device vulnerabilities and enhances overall system security.
• HCFE presents a low-overhead, highly secure approach with minimal infrastructure requirements.