The billions of smart devices coming to the internet of things could transform homes, cities and lives. But they also could create a serious security headache.
The centralized security model common in the enterprise today will struggle to scale up to meet the demands of the internet of things, or IoT. And, with so many devices designed to be tiny and unobtrusive, pulling them from circulation could be difficult if they are captured in a botnet or go rogue.
Blockchain, and the combination of cryptographic processes behind it, offers an intriguing alternative. Because blockchain is built for decentralized control, a security scheme based on it should be more scalable than a traditional one. And blockchain’s strong protections against data tampering would help prevent a rogue device from disrupting a home, factory or transportation system by relaying misleading information.
“Blockchain is promising for IoT security for the same reasons it works for cryptocurrency: It provides assurances that data is legitimate, and the process that introduces new data is well-defined,” said Ahmed Banafa, IoT expert and lecturer at San Jose State University, who wrote a popular overview of the potential for blockchain to solve IoT security challenges.
Dell TechnologiesVoice: How Blockchain Could Revolutionize The Internet Of Things