Blockchain technology for the industrial Internet of Things: A comprehensive survey on security challenges, architectures, applications, and future research directions

Abstract

The blockchain has emerged as an innovative and powerful technology that shows the tremendous potential to enhance the smart industrial frameworks by providing encryption, immutable storage, and decentralization. In the past few years, several applications in the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) have emerged and blockchain technologies gained great attention from academia and industry. To discover the great potential of blockchain technology for the IIoT, we present a comprehensive survey on security issues, blockchain architectures, and applications from the industrial perspective. This article starts with a comparison of exiting state‐of‐the‐art surveys of blockchain technologies for IoT/IIoT applications. A four‐layer reference architecture of IIoT is presented along with the functionalities and security issues of each layer. To address these challenges, we assess the potential of blockchain technology by considering the key characteristics, architectures, consensus algorithms, and implementation platforms. Furthermore, we also discussed some use cases of blockchain for the IIoT frameworks. Finally, this survey is concluded by highlighting some open issues and future research directions.

A Critical Review of Blockchain Acceptance Models—Blockchain Technology Adoption Frameworks and Applications

“…A study by Latif et al [90] showed that BC can benefit IIoT in many aspects. Another study by Latif et al [91] also focused on BC application in IIoT as an important technology that can enhance security and trust in The main focus of the articles which are reviewed in this study was also based on the new conceptual/theoretical frameworks. For example, Wamba et al [41], Saurabh and Dey [52], Xu et al [66], and Aslam et al [42] developed new frameworks based on the factors/barriers introduced in their studies.…”

“…A study by Latif et al [90] showed that BC can benefit IIoT in many aspects. Another study by Latif et al [91] also focused on BC application in IIoT as an important technology that can enhance security and trust in the system. Blockchain application in smart grids in order to improve the security is investigated in different studies as well [92,93].…”

Intelligent Deployment and Development Strategy of Agricultural Farmland Based on Improved Architecture of Internet of Things

“…At present, China's NB-IoT industrial development is also in a leading position in the world. Reference [11] clearly proposed that the infrastructure of narrowband IoT should be built and perfected to achieve its large-scale application in urban ones. In the five-year plan for the development of the information and communications industry (2016-2020), the Ministry of Information and Communications has clearly proposed to build and improve the infrastructure of narrowband IoT and realize its large-scale application in urban management and key industries, and issued a notice on comprehensively promoting the construction and development of mobile IoT [12].…”

Deep Learning for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT): A Comprehensive Survey of Techniques, Implementation Frameworks, Potential Applications, and Future Directions

“…The IIoT framework contains multiple intelligent and connected devices to establish a smart industrial setup [170]. These devices include sensors, actuators, and controllers that use different DL algorithms for the learning process.…”