Development of a Blockchain-Internet of Things (IoT) Security Framework

Abstract

Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized data connectivity, fostering advancements across various sectors enabling real-time monitoring. The integration of blockchain technology to enhance the security of agricultural IoT data presents significant opportunities for improving data integrity and confidentiality in farming operations. The challenge lies in developing reliable framework that ensures securing of data transmission and storage in agricultural IoT networks. This study aims to develop and evaluate a blockchain-IoT framework to enhance security in agricultural data management systems, specifically designed for soil moisture sensors and weather stations. The method adopted involved developing a proof-of-concept mechanisms using JavaScript, Web3.js, and Ethereum smart contracts with Advanced Encryption Standard (AES-256) symmetric encryption cryptography. Results show that the framework maintained unbreachable encryption in man-in-the-middle (MITM) and replay attack simulations, while achieving transaction throughput of up to 100 transactions per second (TPS) with an average confirmation time of under 10 seconds. Network performance remained stable up to 500 simultaneous device connections, with only minor delays noted at 600 devices and significant delays at 1,000, where confirmation times increased to 25-30 seconds. Blockchain framework successfully enhances the security and integrity of agricultural data collected from IoT devices, providing a practical solution to secure farm data management and monitoring systems