Blockchain-based secure device management framework for an Internet of Things network in a smart city

Abstract

The broadly configured smart city network requires a variety of security considerations for a heterogeneous device environment. Because a network of heterogeneous devices facilitates an attacker's intrusion through a specific device or node, a device management framework is required to manage each node comprehensively. This paper proposes a blockchain-based device management framework for efficient device management, scalable firmware update and resiliences on attacks against smart city network. This framework offers four device management and firmware update mechanisms based on the performance and requirements of each device: bidirectional mechanism of general end node and a unidirectional mechanism of the lightweight end node. This difference optimizes the resource of network and devices in terms of management and security. All management history of each device is stored in the blockchain and transmitting firmware between vendor and management node is conducted through a smart contract of blockchain for security and resilience on the attack. Through the framework proposed in this paper, the confidentiality and availability of device management on smart city network as well as integrity, auditability, adaptability and authentication for each node are ensured and the effectiveness of the proposed framework is presented through the security analysis.