A Novel Lightweight Cryptographic Protocol for Securing IoT Devices

Abstract

In the complex realm of the Internet of Things (IoT), securing a myriad of interconnected devices against an ever-evolving threat landscape remains a formidable challenge. Existing systems grapple with a delicate balance, often sacrificing security robustness to accommodate the IoT's constrained computational and energy resources. This research breaks new ground by developing a bespoke lightweight cryptographic protocol, designed to strenuously defend against cyber intrusions while honoring the operational exigencies of IoT devices. The journey began with a rigorous analysis of the current cryptographic protocols, revealing critical gaps in security efficacy, adaptability to varied IoT architectures, and efficiency under limited resource scenarios. Drawing insights from this analysis, the study introduced an innovative cryptographic protocol. Unlike its predecessors, this protocol is finely tuned for the IoT environment, marked by its streamlined computational demands and a lean energy footprint. Empirical testing highlighted the protocol's strengths, showing a marked reduction in time complexity to 21.8 ms and space complexity to 15.0 KB, optimizing usage of the devices' limited resources. Simultaneously, it maintained an impressive security standard, scoring 8.2 on the security scale, and required only 31.8 mJ of energy, addressing often overlooked sustainability concerns in IoT operations. These findings are monumental, suggesting a cryptographic solution that doesn't compromise performance in its quest to bolster security. The research opens new avenues for robust, real-world applications and sets the stage for future initiatives aimed at harnessing secure, efficient cryptographic solutions within the diverse and growing expanse of the IoT universe.