Blockchain-Based Trust Management Framework for Cloud Computing-Based Internet of Medical Things (IoMT): A Systematic...

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Information Security
• Healthcare Technology

Background:

• The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) integrates smart medical devices with healthcare systems via the internet, leveraging cloud computing for data processing and storage.
• Cloud platforms offer scalability and resource efficiency but face significant security vulnerabilities and trust management challenges.
• Traditional trust management in cloud computing is centralized, leading to single points of failure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and analyze trust challenges within cloud computing environments specific to IoMT applications.
• To investigate the potential of blockchain technology in addressing these identified trust and security issues.
• To categorize and evaluate existing blockchain-based trust management frameworks for IoMT.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature review was conducted in six stages, including research question identification, methodology, article screening, and data retrieval.
• Atlas.ti software was utilized for keyword-based analysis of selected articles, involving coding and manual categorization of quotations.
• Focus on identifying and analyzing blockchain-based solutions for decentralization and security in IoMT trust management.

Main Results:

• Identified key trust challenges in cloud computing for IoMT, including centralization, overhead, trust evidence, adaptability, and accuracy.
• A total of 20 blockchain-based solutions were retrieved, categorized under decentralization (7 solutions) and security (3 solutions).
• The review highlights the efficacy of blockchain in mitigating traditional trust management limitations.

Conclusions:

• Blockchain technology presents a promising approach to establishing secure, reliable, and decentralized trust management systems for IoMT.
• Further research and development of blockchain-based frameworks are crucial for enhancing the security and trustworthiness of IoMT cloud platforms.
• The findings provide a foundation for understanding and implementing blockchain solutions in the evolving landscape of medical IoT.