Blockchain Based Authentication and Cluster Head Selection Using DDR-LEACH in Internet of Sensor Things

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Network Security
• Internet of Things

Background:

• The Internet of Sensor Things (IoST) faces challenges with node authentication, energy consumption in cluster heads (CHs), and high data storage costs.
• Existing authentication and data management models in IoST are vulnerable to malicious nodes and inefficient in handling large datasets.
• The energy depletion of CHs due to data aggregation significantly impacts network lifetime.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a secure and energy-efficient blockchain-based node authentication model for the Internet of Sensor Things (IoST).
• To introduce a Distance, Degree, and Residual Energy-based Low-Energy Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy (DDR-LEACH) protocol to optimize CH selection and reduce energy consumption.
• To enhance data security and reduce storage costs by integrating the Interplanetary File System (IPFS) with AES 128-bit encryption and a Proof of Authority (PoA) consensus mechanism.

Main Methods:

• Developed a blockchain-based node authentication framework for IoST.
• Implemented the DDR-LEACH protocol for efficient cluster head selection based on residual energy, node degree, and distance to the base station.
• Integrated IPFS for scalable data storage, secured with AES 128-bit encryption, and utilized a Proof of Authority (PoA) consensus mechanism for transaction validation.

Main Results:

• The DDR-LEACH protocol demonstrated superior performance over LEACH in terms of reduced energy consumption, increased throughput, and extended network lifetime.
• The proposed model significantly reduced transaction costs associated with data storage on IPFS and service provisioning, attributed to the PoA consensus mechanism.
• AES 128-bit encryption showed improved performance in terms of time efficiency compared to existing schemes.
• Formal security analysis and induced attack simulations (MITM, Sybil) confirmed the model's resilience against cyber threats.

Conclusions:

• The proposed blockchain-based model offers a robust solution for secure and energy-efficient IoST networks.
• DDR-LEACH effectively addresses the energy consumption challenges of CHs, leading to improved network longevity.
• The integration of IPFS, AES 128-bit, and PoA provides a cost-effective and secure data management strategy for IoST applications.