Security Challenges in Fog and IoT, Blockchain Technology and Cell Tree Solutions: A Review

Abstract

As the IoT is moving out of its early stages, it is emerging as an area of future internet. The evolving communication paradigm among cloud servers, Fog nodes and IoT devices are establishing a multilevel communication infrastructure. Fog provides a platform for IoT along with other services like networking, storage and computing. With the tremendous expansion of IoT, security threats also arise. These security hazards cannot be addressed by mere dependence on cloud model. In this paper we present an overview of security landscape of Fog computing, challenges, and, existing solutions. We outline major authentication issues in IoT, map their existing solutions and further tabulate Fog and IoT security loopholes. Furthermore this paper presents Blockchain, a decentralized distributed technology as one of the solutions for authentication issues in IoT. We tried to discuss the strength of Blockchain technology, work done in this field, its adoption in COVID-19 fight and tabulate various challenges in Blockchain technology. At last we present the Cell Tree architecture as another solution to address some of the security issues in IoT, outlined its advantages over Blockchain technology and tabulated some future course to stir some attempts in this area.

Fog computing security and privacy issues, open challenges, and blockchain solution: An overview

“…Due to the nature of the FC of distribution, heterogeneity, closeness to IoT devices, and extension of Cloud computing many security and privacy issues were reported in the literature. This makes FC vulnerable to many attacks such as Man-in-the-Middle, Denial-of-Service, Rogue Fog Node, and Sybil attacks [24]. Some of these challenges have been provided some solutions as shown in Table 1 Several solutions were provided in the literature such as attribute-based encryption (ABE) access control [25], fine-grained access control [26], policy-driven management framework [27], leakage-resilient functional encryption schemes, device management, and key management [28], [29].…”

“…In spite of the new authentication techniques that have been proposed such as identity, Decoy, anonymous, and cooperative, single-domain, cross-domain, and handover authentication [28], authentication represents one of the major worries in FC [4]. Detection Systems Although several detection systems were proposed such as signature-based and neural network-based, fuzzy logic, lightweight countermeasure utilizing bloom filters, and distributed detection systems [23]- [25], there is a vital need for new systems that can integrate the different detection components which are distributed in the Fog network [24]. Trust Management Trust, in FC, must be enabled by the Fog nodes.…”

“…This structure should be of low complexity. Moreover, the system should be able to identify the misbehaved IoT device [24], [36].…”

Fog computing security and privacy for the Internet of Thing applications: State‐of‐the‐art

“…Due to the distribution of Fog nodes and its closeness to IoT devices, centralized control system like what we have in the Cloud is not possible. Therefore, new innovative techniques and solutions are required to enhance IoT users and data privacy in the Fog environment 24,123,124 such as using the blockchain technology 26,27,125‐128 . This section discusses the recommendations and future opportunities to mitigate this issue.…”

“…Therefore, new innovative techniques and solutions are required to enhance IoT users and data privacy in the Fog environment 24,123,124 such as using the blockchain technology. 26,27,[125][126][127][128] This section discusses the recommendations and future opportunities to mitigate this issue.…”