Abstract:

There are several definitions of Internet of Things (IoT) that vary based on the specific context in which the definition is being used. However, most definitions agree on some key characteristics of IoT including:

• A group of physical objects, things, which are connected and accessible via the internet
• The “thing” could be a robot in a factory, a human with a pacemaker, or a temperature sensor in a food package.
• Each object has a unique ID and is capable of automatically collecting and sharing data.
• Some objects are programable and capable of making certain decisions on their own.

Gartner predicts that 5.8B IoT devices will be in use by 2020, and Statisca predicts the number to reach 75B by 2025.  IoT devices are at the bottom, physical layer, of the IoT stack, where as applications are the top layer and provide an array of advanced and intelligent services for the human community.  These services can be critical and the accuracy and integrity of the data provided by the IoT devices must be protected.

The ever-increasing number of IoT devices carries a huge security and data vulnerability risk. Technologists are busy developing solutions to protect and guard IoT devices and the data they generate and share, as well as developing trust models to validate not only IoT devices’ data, but also the applications providing the end services.

Introduction:

Scaling and securing a network of billions of IoT devices starts with a robust device management and access framework capable of integrating and interoperating with existing legacy systems. Each IoT device should be reached through a unique global identifier and also should have a profile that governs access to the device. 

In this paper we propose using decentralization as the underlying technology for validating and verifying IoT devices, data, and applications through trust.  Particularly, we propose using the Linux Foundation’s Hyperledger Fabric as the Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) and Hyperledger Indy as the decentralized device identity technology. 

The proposal is a framework that addresses the end-to-end IoT device’s identity and access management using Hyperledger Fabric and Indy as the core Blockchain components. We also address interoperability and integration using certain open standards, such as…..

To demonstrate the viability of the proposed framework, we will develop a Proof of Concept (PoC) for managing and protecting smartphones against fraud and theft using open 3GPP standards.