NDN-BDA: A Blockchain-Based Decentralized Data Authentication Mechanism for Vehicular Named Data Networking

Abstract

Named Data Networking (NDN) is an implementation of Information-Centric Networking (ICN) that has emerged as a promising candidate for the Future Internet Architecture (FIA). In contrast to traditional networking protocols, NDN’s focus is on content, rather than the source of the content. NDN enables name-based routing and location-independent data retrieval, which gives NDN the ability to support the highly dynamic nature of mobile networks. Among other important features, NDN integrates security mechanisms and prioritizes protecting content over communication channels through cryptographic signatures. However, the data verification process that NDN employs may cause significant delays, especially in mobile networks and vehicular networks. This aspect makes it unsuitable for time-critical and sensitive applications such as the sharing of safety messages. Therefore, in this work, we propose NDN-BDA, a blockchain-based decentralized mechanism that provides a faster and more efficient data authenticity mechanism for NDN-based vehicular networks.