2,620 research outputs found
Blockchain-enhanced Roots-of-Trust
Establishing a root-of-trust is a key early step in establishing trust throughout the lifecycle of a device, notably by attesting the running software. A key technique is to use hardware security in the form of specialised modules or
hardware functions such as TPMs. However, even if a device supports such features, other steps exist that can compromise the overall trust model between devices being manufactured until decommissioning. In this paper, we discuss how blockchains, and smart contracts in particular, can be used to harden the overall security management both in the case of existing hardware enhanced security or when only software attestation is possible
Secure Sensor Prototype Using Hardware Security Modules and Trusted Execution Environments in a Blockchain Application: Wine Logistic Use Case
The security of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) systems is a challenge that needs to be
addressed immediately, as the increasing use of new communication paradigms and the abundant
use of sensors opens up new opportunities to compromise these types of systems. In this sense,
technologies such as Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) and Hardware Security Modules
(HSMs) become crucial for adding new layers of security to IIoT systems, especially to edge nodes
that incorporate sensors and perform continuous measurements. These technologies, coupled with
new communication paradigms such as Blockchain, offer a high reliability, robustness and good
interoperability between them. This paper proposes the design of a secure sensor incorporating
the above mentioned technologies—HSMs and a TEE—in a hardware device based on a dual-core
architecture. Through this combination of technologies, one of the cores collects the data extracted by
the sensors and implements the security mechanisms to guarantee the integrity of these data, while
the remaining core is responsible for sending these data through the appropriate communication
protocol. This proposed approach fits into the Blockchain networks, which act as an Oracle. Finally,
to illustrate the application of this concept, a use case applied to wine logistics is described, where
this secure sensor is integrated into a Blockchain that collects data from the storage and transport of
barrels, and a performance evaluation of the implemented prototype is providedEuropean Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program through the funding project
“Cognitive edge-cloud with serverless computing” (EDGELESS) under grant agreement number
101092950FEDER/Junta de Andalucia-Consejeria de Transformacion
Economica, Industria, Conocimiento y Universidades under Project B-TIC-588-UGR2
VERIFICATION AND DEBUG TECHNIQUES FOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DESIGNS
Verification and debug of integrated circuits for embedded applications has grown in importance as the complexity in function has increased dramatically over time. Various modeling and debugging techniques have been developed to overcome the overwhelming challenge. This thesis attempts to address verification and debug methods by presenting an accurate C model at the bit and algorithm level coupled with an implemented Hardware Description Language (HDL). Key concepts such as common signal and variable naming conventions are incorporated as well as a stepping function within the implemented HDL. Additionally, a common interface between low-level drivers and C models is presented for early firmware development and system debug. Finally, selfchecking verification is discussed for delivering multiple test cases along with testbench portability
Mechatronics & the cloud
Conventionally, the engineering design process has assumed that the design team is able to exercise control over all elements of the design, either directly or indirectly in the case of sub-systems through their specifications. The introduction of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) and the Internet of Things (IoT) means that a design team’s ability to have control over all elements of a system is no longer the case, particularly as the actual system configuration may well be being dynamically reconfigured in real-time according to user (and vendor) context and need. Additionally, the integration of the Internet of Things with elements of Big Data means that information becomes a commodity to be autonomously traded by and between systems, again according to context and need, all of which has implications for the privacy of system users. The paper therefore considers the relationship between mechatronics and cloud-basedtechnologies in relation to issues such as the distribution of functionality and user privacy
On the Convergence of Blockchain and Internet of Things (IoT) Technologies
The Internet of Things (IoT) technology will soon become an integral part of
our daily lives to facilitate the control and monitoring of processes and
objects and revolutionize the ways that human interacts with the physical
world. For all features of IoT to become fully functional in practice, there
are several obstacles on the way to be surmounted and critical challenges to be
addressed. These include, but are not limited to cybersecurity, data privacy,
energy consumption, and scalability. The Blockchain decentralized nature and
its multi-faceted procedures offer a useful mechanism to tackle several of
these IoT challenges. However, applying the Blockchain protocols to IoT without
considering their tremendous computational loads, delays, and bandwidth
overhead can let to a new set of problems. This review evaluates some of the
main challenges we face in the integration of Blockchain and IoT technologies
and provides insights and high-level solutions that can potentially handle the
shortcomings and constraints of both IoT and Blockchain technologies.Comment: Includes 11 Pages, 3 Figures, To publish in Journal of Strategic
Innovation and Sustainability for issue JSIS 14(1
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