Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Department of Computer Engineering, University of Guilan, P.O. Box 3756, Rasht
2
Department of Computer Engineering, University of Guilan, P.O. Box 3756, Rasht, Iran
10.22080/cste.2025.28688.1013
Abstract
The Internet of Things is one of the most transformative technologies of the modern era, enabling seamless connectivity and data exchange across a wide range of applications, including smart cities, healthcare, agriculture, and industrial automation. However, the rapid growth of IoT has introduced significant challenges, particularly in terms of security. Among these challenges, securing routing protocols in low-power and lossy networks is critical, as they are vulnerable to various attacks, such as rank spoofing and version number attacks, which can disrupt network topology and compromise data integrity. In this paper, we propose a novel identity-based routing protocol for IoT, built on the RPL (Routing Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Networks) framework. Our approach utilizes Identity-Based Signature cryptography to enhance the security of RPL against rank and version number attacks. By utilizing a lightweight digital signature scheme, our protocol ensures that only legitimate nodes can modify the network topology, thereby preventing malicious actors from forging rankings or version numbers. The proposed scheme is designed to be computationally efficient, making it suitable for resource-constrained IoT devices. We provide a comprehensive security analysis, demonstrating that our protocol offers robust resistance to forging attacks. Additionally, we evaluate the performance of the scheme in terms of time and energy consumption, showing that it is both efficient and scalable for large-scale IoT deployments. Our results indicate that the proposed identity-based routing protocol not only enhances the security of RPL but also maintains low overhead, making it a practical solution for securing IoT networks in real-world applications.
Keywords
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