Data and network security is still a major talking point when discussing the future of the IoT. As we start seeing the crucial systems in our buildings and across our cities becoming increasingly connected and dependent on one another, the need to guard these ‘things’ against malicious attacks becomes imperative. One way of doing this is to incorporate Blockchain.
A major stumbling block for the growth of IoT ecosystems is the issue of security. At a smart home level, people are concerned about someone hacking into their lighting or security devices. Move up to a smart city level, where we are talking about traffic lights, transit and sewage systems, then the stakes get even higher. If trust in IoT is to grow, then all stakeholders need to be confident that the infrastructure behind it is secure.
Enter blockchain.
Blockchain is the technology behind secure cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. In this context, it acts as a shared ledger that records transactions and creates trustworthy and transparent processes. In a typical blockchain network, all involved in a process can see (and validate) the information that applies to them digitally, reducing the need for duplication of effort and intermediaries. It runs on a consensus model where validity must be agreed by all. Assets need to be traceable and all transactions, even incorrect ones, are recorded.
The ledger is distributed across multiple computers and access is controlled via cryptography so all participants are verified as legitimate. Further cryptographic techniques can be applied to ensure privacy, with data partitioning techniques used to ensure certain pieces of information are seen only by those who have permission to see them.
Essentially, with everything decentralised, it makes the ledger harder to access without authorisation or for data to be tampered with as it is less reliant on the integrity of one central server. Every participant in the blockchain will have the ability to identify and authenticate one another reliably.
Applications in the IoT
As applications of the IoT in the home start involving autonomous transactions (Refrigerators ordering groceries etc.) and expand into smart cities, the IoT ecosystem starts growing to levels that traditional centralised networks can’t efficiently, or securely, support.
By incorporating blockchain, devices and ‘things’ can form a mesh network and authenticate interaction automatically using the unique identity of each ‘thing’ in the network.
So, is blockchain the answer?
Well, it is definitely an answer. Blockchain is a technology that has proven its worth in cryptocurrency and, in theory, looks well suited to the demands of future IoT infrastructures. It is more scalable than traditional security methods and ensures data remains legitimate and reliable.
Manufacturers are already at looking at ways they can use mesh networks, alongside access and identification biometrics, to provide quick verification and prevent compromised devices having an influence over networks. We are still only scratching the surface of blockchain’s potential, and the technology still has a way to go before it is ready to cater for the smart cities of the future. Still, the adoption of blockchain will at least offer IoT sceptics some assurance that, as connected technologies are evolving, so too are the methods of reliably securing them.