Secure IoT Communication with a Blockchain-Enabled Decentralized MQTT Network
Vladyslav Makarian · 2023
The rapid growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) has led to the widespread adoption of the Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) protocol to enable communication between IoT devices. However, traditional MQTT implementations rely on centralized brokers, which have several limitations, including single points of failure, limited scalability, lack of privacy, vulnerability to attacks, and the possibility of censorship. This research aims to address these shortcomings by proposing a blockchain-enabled decentralized MQTT network that leverages a federated model for distributed MQTT brokers and blockchain technology for secure, persistent storage. The main objectives of this research include analyzing the limitations of centralized MQTT brokers, exploring appropriate network architecture and clustering methods for a decentralized MQTT system, investigating access control mechanisms based on elliptic curve cryptography, evaluating data relaying methods and the utilization of retained messages stored in the blockchain, and conducting hypothesis testing and market research to validate the feasibility and potential of the proposed solution. By achieving these objectives, this research aims to contribute to the development of a more robust, scalable, and secure IoT communication infrastructure that can better support the growing demands of connected devices and their applications.