Submission Deadline: 31 March 2022 (closed) View: 62
The
Internet of Things (IoT) enables the collection of massive amounts of data from
our natural and artificial environments, which can be converted into
information that can be utilized to better understand and regulate the
processes that underpin our civilization. For example, we can use data
collected from industrial equipment to predict when maintenance is required; we
can use data collected from vehicles and transportation infrastructure to
eliminate traffic congestion and accidents; we can use connected home equipment
to run our households more efficiently; and we can use connected medical
devices to care for the growing number of elderly people remotely. All of this
potential, however, is only attainable if we can trust the data collected from
the environment via the Internet of Things, which ultimately necessitates its
security. Another critical issue is avoiding the Internet of Things becoming a
large monitoring system that can be abused to jeopardize the privacy of
citizens who rely on its services.
Indeed, IoT has a dual effect on the current state of cyber security. To begin, cyberspace-based attacks can now be directed towards IoT systems and embedded IoT devices that interact with our physical world. Thus, cyber-attacks may have physical effects ranging from the destruction of expensive equipment to the disruption of critical services, and even death. Second, networked IoT devices can be converted into a sizable attack infrastructure that can be utilized to assault cyberspace systems and services. For example, botnets comprised of millions of IoT devices set the bar for the most intense DDoS attacks against popular Internet-based services ever recorded. Additionally, IoT systems frequently collect data from which sensitive personal information such as daily routines, location, or health problems of human users might be extracted. As a result, inappropriate treatment and disclosure of these data might result in widespread privacy violations.
Blockchain technology is a promising technique for securing and privacy-protecting restricted IoT Systems and Applications. Unlike conventional security methods, which are concerned with the path that data takes, blockchain is concerned with the protection of the data itself, enabling immutability and authenticity. This distinguishes blockchain as an ideal contender for IoT security and privacy, as the majority of IoT data is transmitted across numerous and susceptible pathways connecting scattered IoT devices.
This Special Issue addresses the innovative developments, technologies and challenges related to blockchain, security, privacy and intelligence for the IoT Systems and Applications.