An IoT Integrity-First Communication Protocol via an Ethereum Blockchain Light Client

Abstract

Smart cities and advanced energy delivery systems are examples of IoT rich environments. These systems are responsible for communicating critical data about urban infrastructure that keeps our modern cities functioning. Today, IoT devices lack communication protocols with data integrity as a priority. Without data integrity, these systems are at risk of actuating urban environments on compromised data. Attackers can use this IoT communication flaw to wage cyber-physical attacks. We designed and developed an integrity-first communication protocol for IoT that is distributed and scalable based on the Ethereum blockchain. Our light client ensures data communication integrity for systems that require it most.