Curve25519 based lightweight end-to-end encryption in resource constrained autonomous 8-bit IoT devices

Abstract

Robust encryption techniques require heavy computational capability and consume large amount of memory which are unaffordable for resource constrained IoT devices and Cyber-Physical Systems with an inclusion of general-purpose data manipulation tasks. Many encryption techniques have been introduced to address the inability of such devices, lacking in robust security provision at low cost. This article presents an encryption technique, implemented on a resource constrained IoT device (AVR ATmega2560) through utilizing fast execution and less memory consumption properties of curve25519 in a novel and efficient lightweight hash function. The hash function utilizes GMP library for multi-precision arithmetic calculations and pre-calculated curve points to devise a good cipher block using ECDH based key exchange protocols and large random prime number generator function.