A Blockchain-Inspired Attribute-Based Zero-Trust Access Control Model for IoT

Abstract

The connected or smart environment is the integration of smart devices (sensors, IoT devices, or actuator) into the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm, in which a large number of devices are connected, monitoring the physical environment and processes and transmitting into the centralized database for advanced analytics and analysis. This integrated and connected setup allows greater levels of automation of smart systems than is possible with just the Internet. While delivering services to the different processes and application within connected smart systems, these IoT devices perform an impeccably large number of device-to-device communications that allow them to access the selected subsets of device information and data. The sensitive and private nature of these data renders the smart infrastructure vulnerable to copious attacks which threat agents exploit for cyberattacks which not only affect critical services but probably bring threat to people’s lives. Hence, advanced measures need to be taken for securing smart environments, such as dynamic access control, advanced network screening, and monitoring behavioural anomalies. In this paper, we have discussed the essential cyberthreats and vulnerabilities in smart environments and proposed ZAIB (Zero-Trust and ABAC for IoT using Blockchain), a novel secure framework that monitors and facilitates device-to-device communications with different levels of access-controlled mechanisms based on environmental parameters and device behaviour. It is protected by zero-trust architecture and provides dynamic behavioural analysis of IoT devices by calculating device trust levels for each request. ZAIB enforces variable policies specifically generated for each scenario by using attribute-based access control (ABAC). We have used blockchain to ensure anonymous device and user registrations and immutable activity logs. All the attributes, trust level histories, and data generated by IoT devices are protected using IPFS. Finally, a security evaluation shows that ZAIB satisfies the needs of active defence and end-to-end security enforcement of data, users, and services involved in a smart grid network.

Tides of Blockchain in IoT Cybersecurity

“…Integrating IoT with blockchain networks presents opportunities to enhance data integrity, trust, and decentralization in IoT systems [2,50]. Through blockchain, IoT devices can securely transmit data, ensuring immutable records of transactions [51]. This approach fosters trust between devices, reducing dependence on central authorities and intermediaries, thus enhancing security and resilience [51,52].…”

“…Through blockchain, IoT devices can securely transmit data, ensuring immutable records of transactions [51]. This approach fosters trust between devices, reducing dependence on central authorities and intermediaries, thus enhancing security and resilience [51,52]. The intersection of IoT and blockchain faces challenges in scalability, resource constraints, and privacy [2,21,50,[52][53][54][55][56][57].…”

“…Meanwhile, the modern internet landscape is evolving to prioritize the availability and security of connected resources. With its decentralized ledger system, blockchain technology is reshaping transactions across sectors like finance, healthcare, and supply chain management [2,21,51,65,66]. Blockchain enables smart devices to offer users greater control and insights, while integrated sensors enhance real-time monitoring in supply chains [65].…”

“…Privacy concerns necessitate privacy-preserving techniques like ZKPs, while smart contracts require rigorous security measures to mitigate vulnerabilities. Achieving consensus and governance among diverse stakeholders and navigating regulatory complexities further underscore the multifaceted security challenges in blockchain-based IoT systems [2,51].…”

“…Audibility and transparency: Real-time auditing of transactions within IoT networks is made possible by the transparent nature of blockchain technology. Data exchange and operations recorded on the blockchain are traceable to their origin, enabling forensic analysis and accountability in case of security breaches [51,89].…”