Blockchain Enabled SDN Framework for Security Management in 5G Applications

Abstract

Fifth-generation (5G) wireless networks are now operational to deploy all over the world. The technology of 5G’s objective is to link heterogeneous machines and devices with significant improvements high quality of service (QoS), internet bandwidth, and improved system throughput to enable several upright applications. Despite all these benefits that 5G will provide, still, significant issues need to be resolved, such as decentralization, transparency, and risks associated with data interoperability, network privacy, and security vulnerabilities. Modern networks link an enormous number of devices to the Internet, and in this complicated situation, the use of BC and SDN has been effectively advocated to assure security, privacy, and secrecy. This study offers a blockchain-enabled SDN framework for securing transactions that makes use of Software Defined Network (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) to overcome these issues. The proposed framework can address the man-in-the-middle attack between control and data plane in SDN networks. A controller authentication scheme is provided using smart contracts. Smart contracts automatically authenticate the SDN controller to increase the efficiency of controller verification. The communicated data can also be authenticated using smart contracts. The proposed framework can enhance network transparency, data security, and user privacy. Each SDN controller can access verifiable data using the proposed framework.