Satellite IoT Terminal Authentication Mechanism for Enhancing Consumer Security Over Cyber–Physical Systems

Abstract

The satellite Internet of Things (IoT), utilizing Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) Communication Networks and various satellite-borne and ground-based terminal devices, enables integrated human-object connectivity and information exchange across space, sky, and ground. A terminal authentication method based on trust evaluation is proposed to ensure the secure and efficient utilization of satellite IoT resources. This method optimizes authentication strategies by evaluating the trustworthiness of terminal devices. A satellite IoT terminal trust evaluation mechanism is proposed for scenarios where a previously strongly authenticated terminal needs re-authentication within a short time or where trust is granted via a strongly authenticated node. This mechanism describes dynamically adjusted trust metrics and evaluation models based on direct and indirect trust. A satellite IoT access authentication protocol based on trust evaluation is also designed, employing corresponding authentication mechanisms according to the device’s trust level. This simplifies the re-authentication process for highly trusted devices, enabling differentiated authentication services for various terminal devices within the same authentication framework. A comprehensive security analysis of the protocol is conducted using informal methods and the Tamarin formal verification tool. Experiments validate the protocol’s effectiveness, showing that it can reduce overall authentication costs and streamline the authentication process through trust-based simplifications.