A Hybrid Blockchain-Enhanced Authentication Framework for Resource- Constrained IoT Ecosystems: Performance Analysis and Security Evaluation

Abstract

The proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices across critical infrastructure domains has introduced unprecedented security challenges that existing authentication mechanisms struggle to address effectively. Resource-constrained IoT devices face a fundamental trade-off between robust security measures and computational efficiency. This often results in vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious actors. This paper presents a novel hybrid authentication framework with smart gateway optimization that strategically combines blockchain technology for immutable trust management with intelligent edge-level processing capabilities. Our approach introduces four key gateway-level optimizations. First, local caching of recent authentication credentials reduces redundant blockchain queries. Second, batch processing of authentication logs minimizes transaction overhead. Third, inter-gateway trust sharing enables seamless device mobility. Fourth, priority- based request handling ensures time-critical operations receive immediate attention. The proposed framework employs a three-tier architecture: resource-efficient symmetric key authentication at the device level, intelligent computational bridging through smart gateways, and blockchain-based certificate validation for inter-domain trust establishment. Comprehensive performance evaluation conducted through JavaScript-based simulation of 1,000 virtual IoT devices demonstrates significant improvements over existing approaches. Authentication latency reduced by 40% (98ms vs 163ms for normal hybrid), energy consumption decreased by 17% (2.5mJ vs 3.0mJ), and authentication success rate improved by 2.8% (99.8% vs 97.0%). Security analysis confirms resilience against common IoT attack vectors including replay attacks, man-in-the-middle attacks, and device impersonation. The framework's distributed architecture with intelligent gateway coordination eliminates single points of failure while accommodating the heterogeneous nature of modern IoT deployments.