Wireguard: An Efficient Solution for Securing IoT Device Connectivity: Regular Research Paper (CSCI-RTMC)
Haseebullah Jumakhan, Amir Mirzaeinia · 2023
The proliferation of vulnerable Internet-of- Things (IoT) devices has enabled large-scale cyberattacks. Solutions like Hestia and HomeSnitch have failed to comprehensively address IoT security needs. This research evaluates if Wireguard, an emerging VPN protocol, can provide efficient security tailored for resource-constrained IoT systems. We compared Wireguard's performance against standard protocols Open VPN and IPsec in a simulated IoT environment. Metrics measured included throughput, latency, and jitter during file transfers. Initial results reveal Wireguard's potential as a lightweight yet robust IoT security solution despite disadvantages for Wireguard in our experimental environment. With further testing, Wireguard's simplicity and low overhead could enable widespread VPN adoption to harden IoT devices against attacks. The protocol's advantages in setup time, performance, and compatibility make it promising for integration especially on weak IoT processors and networks.