IOTA Tangle Research Articles

IOTASDN: IOTA 2.0 Smart Contracts for Securing Software-Defined Networking Ecosystem.

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) has revolutionized network management by providing unprecedented flexibility, control, and efficiency. However, its centralized architecture introduces critical security vulnerabilities. This paper introduces a novel approach to securing SDN environments using IOTA 2.0 smart contracts. The proposed system utilizes the IOTA Tangle, a directed acyclic graph (DAG) structure, to improve scalability and efficiency while eliminating transaction fees and reducing energy consumption. We introduce three smart contracts: Authority, Access Control, and DoS Detector, to ensure trusted and secure network operations, prevent unauthorized access, maintain the integrity of control data, and mitigate denial-of-service attacks. Through comprehensive simulations using Mininet and the ShimmerEVM IOTA Test Network, we demonstrate the efficacy of our approach in enhancing SDN security. Our findings highlight the potential of IOTA 2.0 smart contracts to provide a robust, decentralized solution for securing SDN environments, paving the way for the further integration of blockchain technologies in network management.

A smart mask to enforce social contracts based on IOTA Tangle.

In this paper we present the design for a smart-mask to mitigate the impact of an airborne virus such as COVID-19. The design utilises recent results from feedback control theory over a distributed ledger that have been developed to enforce compliance in a pseudo-anonymous manner. The design is based on the use of the IOTA distributed ledger. A hardware-in-the-loop simulation based on indoor positioning, paired with Monte-Carlo simulations, is developed to demonstrate the efficacy of the designed prototype.

Toward Verification of DAG-Based Distributed Ledger Technologies through Discrete-Event Simulation.

As the potential of directed acyclic graph (DAG)-based distributed ledgers in IoT systems unfolds, a need arises to understand their intricate dynamics in real-world scenarios. It is well known that discrete event simulations can provide high-fidelity evaluations of protocols. However, there is a lack of public discrete event simulators capable of assessing DAG-based distributed ledgers. In this paper, a discrete-event-based distributed ledger simulator is introduced, with which we investigate a custom Python-based implementation of IOTA's Tangle DAG protocol. The study reveals the dynamics of Tangle (particularly Poisson processes in transaction dynamics), the efficiency and intricacies of the random walk in Tangle, and the quantitative assessment of node convergence. Furthermore, the research underscores the significance of weight updates without depth limitations and provides insights into the role, challenges, and implications of the coordinator/validator in DAG architectures. The results are striking, and although the findings are reported only for Tangle, they demonstrate the need for adaptable and versatile discrete event simulators for DAG architectures and tip selection methodologies in general.

Implementation and evaluation of a decentralized medical data exchange system based on the IOTA Tangle and approximate algorithms for optimal data placement


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 © Voronin V., Rybalchenko A., Shmatko O., Kolomiitsev O., Tretiak V., Kliuchka Ya., 2023
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Facilitating the transfer of patient medical information across healthcare providers is crucial for ensuring high-quality care. However, this process encounters obstacles pertaining to privacy, security, and centralised control. This article outlines the creation of a decentralised system for exchanging medical data. The system utilises Distributed Ledger Technology, specifically the IOTA Tangle (open protocol (and network) for data and value transfer). This document outlines the structure and fundamental elements of a system designed for the secure and unalterable storage and transfer of medical records. The system employs masking and encryption methodologies to protect patient confidentiality while enabling healthcare practitioners to access complete information with patient authorization. The IOTA Tangle facilitates transactions without any fees and ensures the verification of data integrity through its Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) topology. Simulation trials validate the system’s capability to securely communicate medical data on a large scale, while incurring lower resource costs than typical blockchain systems. The system demonstrates the feasibility of a decentralised and self-governing method for efficient and confidential sharing of medical data, utilising Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). The secure data sharing platform facilitates the implementation of novel care and research frameworks, all the while upholding patient confidentiality and adhering to healthcare ethical standards. Also, in the development of billing Online Transaction Processing (OLTP) systems, which are designed for input, structured storage and processing of information in real time, the use of cloud technology is proposed. The problems that arise and their relevance to the solution of an integer linear programming problem with Boolean variables are shown. Approximate algorithms for optimal data placement and mathematical models for optimizing the structure of a distributed database of a cloud system are proposed, taking into account the limitations on the amount of node memory, the available costs of renting cloud resources, and the number of replicas of fragments of the distributed database.

Performance Analysis of IOTA Tangle and a New Consensus Algorithm for Smart Grids

Performance Analysis of IOTA Tangle and a New Consensus Algorithm for Smart Grids

PUFchain 3.0: Hardware-Assisted Distributed Ledger for Robust Authentication in Healthcare Cyber-Physical Systems.

This article presents a novel hardware-assisted distributed ledger-based solution for simultaneous device and data security in smart healthcare. This article presents a novel architecture that integrates PUF, blockchain, and Tangle for Security-by-Design (SbD) of healthcare cyber-physical systems (H-CPSs). Healthcare systems around the world have undergone massive technological transformation and have seen growing adoption with the advancement of Internet-of-Medical Things (IoMT). The technological transformation of healthcare systems to telemedicine, e-health, connected health, and remote health is being made possible with the sophisticated integration of IoMT with machine learning, big data, artificial intelligence (AI), and other technologies. As healthcare systems are becoming more accessible and advanced, security and privacy have become pivotal for the smooth integration and functioning of various systems in H-CPSs. In this work, we present a novel approach that integrates PUF with IOTA Tangle and blockchain and works by storing the PUF keys of a patient's Body Area Network (BAN) inside blockchain to access, store, and share globally. Each patient has a network of smart wearables and a gateway to obtain the physiological sensor data securely. To facilitate communication among various stakeholders in healthcare systems, IOTA Tangle's Masked Authentication Messaging (MAM) communication protocol has been used, which securely enables patients to communicate, share, and store data on Tangle. The MAM channel works in the restricted mode in the proposed architecture, which can be accessed using the patient's gateway PUF key. Furthermore, the successful verification of PUF enables patients to securely send and share physiological sensor data from various wearable and implantable medical devices embedded with PUF. Finally, healthcare system entities like physicians, hospital admin networks, and remote monitoring systems can securely establish communication with patients using MAM and retrieve the patient's BAN PUF keys from the blockchain securely. Our experimental analysis shows that the proposed approach successfully integrates three security primitives, PUF, blockchain, and Tangle, providing decentralized access control and security in H-CPS with minimal energy requirements, data storage, and response time.

Optimization of IOTA Tangle Cumulative Weight Calculation Using Depth-First and Iterative Deepening Search Algorithms

Optimization of IOTA Tangle Cumulative Weight Calculation Using Depth-First and Iterative Deepening Search Algorithms

Using IOTA Tangle and Machine Learning for a Defensive Model-Based Approach against Replication Attacks on Wireless Sensor Networks

Using IOTA Tangle and Machine Learning for a Defensive Model-Based Approach against Replication Attacks on Wireless Sensor Networks

Decentralised IOTA-Based Concepts of Digital Trust for Securing Remote Driving in an Urban Environment

The novel contribution of this research is decentralised IOTA-based concepts of digital trust for securing remote driving in an urban environment. The conceptual solutions are studied and described, and respective experimental solutions are developed relying on digital identities, public key cryptography with a decentralised approach using decentralised identifiers (DIDs) and verifiable credentials (VCs), and an IOTA-based distributed ledger. The provided digital trust solutions were validated by executing them according to the remote driving scenario but with a simulated vehicle and simulated remote driving system. The hybrid simulation mainly focused on the validation of functional, causal temporal correctness, feasibility, and capabilities of the provided solutions. The evaluations indicate that the concepts of digital trust fulfil the purpose and contribute towards making remote driving more trustable. A supervisory stakeholder was used as a verifier, requiring a set of example verifiable credentials from the vehicle and the remote driver, and accepting them to the security control channel. The separation of control and data planes from each other was found to be a good solution because the delays caused by required security control can be limited to the initiation of the remote driving session without causing additional delays in the actual real-time remote driving control data flow. The application of the IOTA Tangle as the verifiable data registry was found to be sufficient for security control purposes. During the evaluations, the need for further studies related to scalability, application of wallets, dynamic trust situations, time-sensitive behaviour, and autonomous operations, as well as smart contract(s) between multiple stakeholders, were detected. As the next step of this research, the provided digital trust solutions will be integrated with a vehicle, remote driving system and traffic infrastructure for evaluation of the performance, reliability, scalability, and flexibility in real-world experiments of remote driving of an electric bus in an urban environment.

IOTA TANGLE 2.0: AN OVERVIEW

The IOTA Tangle cryptocurrency represents the next evolution in distributed ledger technology, designed to facilitate transactions in the Internet of Things applications. Compared to traditional blockchain architectures, the IOTA presents attractive characteristics, including high scalability, zero-fee transactions, higher achievable transactions per second, and lower energy consumption. The consensus mechanism in IOTA 1.0 and 1.5 relied on a centralized coordinator solution for transaction validation. IOTA 2.0, designed in 2020, is the first fully decentralized network that supports smart contracts. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the IOTA Tangle 2.0.

A Framework for Standardization of Distributed Ledger Technologies for Interoperable Data Integration and Alignment in Sustainable Smart Cities

AbstractDistributed ledger technologies (DLTs) are considered one of the foremost emerging technologies which can contribute to transform cities to smarter cities. DLT play important role in municipalities to accelerate the digitalization process toward changing the roles and services of enterprises in sustainable smart cities. Standardization of DLTs aids to reduce data and digital assets silos while decreasing vendor lock-in across distributed applications enabling a digital urban ecosystem that supports migration capabilities making it possible for cities to seamlessly achieve interoperability among DLTs and centralized digital platforms, although a few standards such as IEEE 2418, IEEE P2418.5, and ISO/TC 307 have been developed. The alignment and integration mechanisms required to support standardization of DLT for interoperable services in smart cities is lacking. Therefore, this study presents an understanding on current and open issues on standardization of DLTs in sustainable smart cities with a specific focus on data integration and alignment efforts related to interoperable DLTs. A framework is developed to promote standardization of DLTs to support integration and alignment for interoperability in smart cities. Design science research methodology was adopted based on three use case scenarios which illustrates how IOTA tangle is employs as a DLT for secured standardized communication between physical sensors, devices, and digital platforms in smart city environment. Findings from this article provide exploratory evidence demonstrating the potential uses of IOTA tangle through the developed framework applied for decentralized and centralized digital services. Based on this evidence, this study provides interface integration and alignment strategies to better exploit distributed applications full potential by improving DLT standardization in urban environment.

Enabling Federated Learning at the Edge through the IOTA Tangle

The proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, generating massive amounts of heterogeneous distributed data, has pushed toward edge cloud computing as a promising paradigm to bring cloud capabilities closer to data sources. In many cases of practical interest, centralized Machine Learning (ML) approaches can hardly be employed due to high communication costs, low reliability, legal restrictions, and scalability issues. Therefore, Federated Learning (FL) is emerging as a promising distributed ML approach that enables models to be trained on remote devices using their local data. However, “traditional” FL solutions still present open technical challenges, such as single points of failure and lack of trustworthiness among participants. To address these open challenges, some researchers have started to propose leveraging blockchain technologies. However, the adoption of blockchain for FL at the edge is limited by several factors nowadays, such as long waiting times for transaction confirmation and high energy consumption.In this work, we conduct an original and comprehensive analysis of the key design challenges to address towards an efficient implementation of FL at the edge, and analyze how Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLTs) can be employed to overcome them. Then, we present a novel architecture that enables FL at the edge by leveraging the IOTA Tangle, a next-generation DLT whose data structure is a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG), and the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) to store and share partial models. Experimental results demonstrate the feasibility and efficiency of our proposed solution in real-world deployment scenarios.

Addressing the Transaction Validation Issue in IOTA Tangle: A Tip Selection Algorithm Based on Time Division

IOTA is a new public chain system specifically designed for the Internet of Things (IoT), which provides strong support for the high concurrency, scalability, and zero handling fees of the IoT. The distributed ledger of IOTA, called the tangle, adopts a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) structure. However, compared to the single-chain architecture, the tangle is more complex and highly vulnerable to security threats. The existing transaction verification methods still cannot simultaneously meet the need for accelerating approval speed and improving security to resist illegal transactions, such as lazy tips and permanent tips. In this work, we propose TDTS, a tip-selection algorithm based on time division to improve the efficiency of transaction verification. The main idea of the algorithm is to quickly determine two tips of an incoming transaction that need to be confirmed by sorting tip values in a time slot. It shortens the transaction verification time and reduces the number of lazy tips and permanent tips. A comprehensive theoretical analysis confirmed the effectiveness of our proposed algorithm. Based on 1000 IOTA nodes, the evaluations showed that TDTS can select tips quickly like URTS and resist lazy tips like MCMC.

Designing a Private and Secure Personal Health Records Access Management System: A Solution Based on IOTA Distributed Ledger Technology.

The privacy and security of patients' health records have been an ongoing issue, and researchers are in a race against technology to design a system that can help stop the compromising of patient data. Many researchers have proposed solutions; however, most solutions have not incorporated potential parameters that can ensure private and secure personal health records management, which is the focus of this study. To design and develop a solution, this research thoroughly investigated existing solutions and identified potential key contexts. These include IOTA Tangle, Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), IPFS protocols, Application Programming Interface (API), Proxy Re-encryption (PRE), and access control, which are analysed and integrated to secure patient medical records, and Internet of Things (IoT) medical devices, to develop a patient-based access management system that gives patients full control of their health records. This research developed four prototype applications to demonstrate the proposed solution: the web appointment application, the patient application, the doctor application, and the remote medical IoT device application. The results indicate that the proposed framework can improve healthcare services by providing immutable, secure, scalable, trusted, self-managed, and traceable patient health records while giving patients full control of their own medical records.

A Theoretical Model Characterizing Tangle Evolution in IOTA Blockchain Network

IOTA blockchain system is lightweight without heavy proof-of-work mining phases, which is considered a promising service platform of Internet of Things applications. IOTA organizes ledger data in a directed acyclic graph (DAG), called Tangle, rather a chain structure as in traditional blockchains. With arriving messages, IOTA tangle grows in a special way, as multiple messages can be attached to the tangle at different locations in parallel. Hence, the network dynamics of an operational IOTA system would justify a thorough study, which is currently unexplored in the literature. In this article, we present the first theoretical modeling for the evolving IOTA tangle based on stochastic analysis. After analyzing snapshots of the real-world IOTA ledger data, our key finding suggests that IOTA tangle follows a rather atypical double Pareto Lognormal (dPLN) degree distribution. In contrast, typical power-law and exponential distributions do not accurately reflect the fact. For model parameter estimation, we further realize that using generic optimization solvers cannot yield quality fitting results. Thus, we design an alternative algorithm based on expectation-maximization (EM) framework. We evaluate the proposed model and fitting algorithm with official data provided by the IOTA Foundation. Quantitative comparisons confirm the fitting quality of our proposed model and algorithm. The whole analysis reveals a deeper understanding of the internal mechanism of the IOTA network.

Optimization of tips selection on the IOTA tangle for securing blockchain-based IoT transactions

Data integrity and security protection are needed in the Internet of Things. IOTA technology with a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) structure is a solution to realize secure and scalable data transactions. Recent research IOTA is still faced with the issue of being vulnerable to splitting attacks and left-behind transactions. The splitting attack causes the network to confirm conflict transactions. Then, left-behind transactions cause the network to generate transactions that will not be confirmed. The selection tip weighted random walk (WRW) algorithm uses the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) to overcome these two issues by applying the appropriate bias parameter (α). However, when the α is too large, it will produce a lot of left-behind transactions. Determining the optimal value of α is still an important research topic today. An E-IOTA study that gives several α values statically with random selection but can still produce more left-behind transactions than pure WRW. This paper proposes an optimization of the tip selection algorithm (DA-IOTA) to determine the optimal alpha (α) using an approach to dynamically determine each WRW step. The experimental results show that DA-IOTA produces fewer left-behind transactions than MCMC (WRW) and E-IOTA which use α parameters statically.

A CoviReader Architecture Based on IOTA Tangle for Outbreak Control in Smart Cities during COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Reportedly, many of the data collected for detecting infected people are being used for other than healthcare purposes. On the other hand, fabricated digital COVID-19 test results will pose a danger to vulnerable people and to public health. This paper presents a CoviReader architecture designed for a smart city health information management system to manage outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic while protecting citizens' privacy and tamper-proofing their health status data. Methods: We used IOTA as an infrastructure for data management. We introduced two plans: "Transaction Plan", handling daily interactions of citizens in a smart city and "Big Data Plan", providing the COVID-19 crisis headquarters with the aggregated data for curbing the pandemic. Results: Through the proposed CoviReader architecture people's using IOTA tangle, people's health status data are readily available to the crisis headquarters and verification of the validity of the final file against data manipulation will also be possible by comparing the hash of the consolidated received file with the original hash of the file registered in the IOTA Tangle. Reported plans were capable of handling tamper proofed data delivery. Conclusion: The proposed CoviReader architecture ensures the availability and at the same time constrains manipulation of data. The provided solution aids healthcare providers to control pandemic and at the same time to preserve commuting people's data for any unintended or illegal identity disclosure.

Deletion-Based Tangle Architecture for Edge Computing

IOTA Tangle offers a promising approach for distributed ledger technology with the capability to compete with the traditional blockchain. To enable microtransactions the Internet of things (IoT) environment, IOTA employs a direct acrylic graph that ensures the integrity and immutability of the transactions. However, IoT data exhibit time sensitivity, wherein the value is lost after a period. Storing these temporary data for immutable storage would not be affordable in the distributed ledger. This study proposes a novel approach—referred to as D-Tangle—that enables data deletions in the Tangle architecture. To achieve this goal, D-Tangle divides transactions into three categories based on their expiration features and employs the climb-up writing technique. Extensive evaluations prove that D-Tangle enables instant deletions in finite lifetime data. Moreover, immutability and deletion upon request are guaranteed for unknown lifetime data.

A Novel Distributed Ledger Technology Structure for Wireless Sensor Networks Based on IOTA Tangle

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) consist of many wireless sensor nodes for collecting and sensing information. Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLTs) such as Blockchain allow organizations to store and share data in a decentralized, immutable, and secure way through a network of distributed peer-to-peer users or computers. The application of DLT to the Internet of Things (IoT) can improve the efficiency of information transmission and network security. IOTA Tangle is a DLT developed for IoT to process transactions. WSN is a core technology for IoT, and the two have a lot in common in terms of applications. Many solutions for IoT applications can be implemented with WSNs. However, the sensor nodes in WSNs have limited processing speed, storage capacity, communication bandwidth, and energy consumption capabilities. Therefore, a lightweight solution needs to be designed according to the characteristics of WSNs, rather than directly applying Tangle. The similarities between IoT and WSNs determine that the Tangle can be an essential reference for designing new solutions. In this paper, we propose a new DLT structure based on Tangle named Fishing Net Topology (FNT). The aim is to meet the lightweight requirements of sensor nodes in WSNs. We compared FNT with Tangle in terms of the packet network structure and algorithm and also experimentally analyzed the waste rate in the FNT network. It is concluded that FNT can be used at a reasonable Rate based on the requirement of the WSN applications, and it can significantly reduce the computation while enhancing the security of WSNs. Due to its structural stability and algorithmic simplicity, FNT outperforms Tangle in WSNs.

Exploring interoperability of distributed Ledger and Decentralized Technology adoption in virtual enterprises

The breakthrough of Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) has enabled the emergence and implementation of a wide range of digital platforms in Virtual Enterprises (VE) which collaborate to provide digital services. DLT has the potential to revolutionize VE by offering transparent, decentralized, trustworthy, data provenance, reliable, and auditable features. Yet, the full deployment of DLT systems and digital platforms is still limited since some systems are operating in isolation. Hence, DLT interoperability is one of the challenges inhibiting widespread adoption of DLT platforms. DLT interoperability represents the ability for one distributed ledger platform to interact and share data with other legacy digital applications. It is inevitable to orchestrate these digital platforms fragments by introducing a cross-DLT platform integration to govern data usage within VE. Presently, already proposed approaches for DLT interoperability such as naive relay, sidechain, oracle solutions notary scheme, or relay chain are mostly not employed as they are either resource-intensive or too expensive to operate. Therefore, this paper presents a layered architecture that aids interoperability of DLT, and digital platforms based on IOTA Tangle. Design science method is adopted, and case demonstration is carried out to show how IOTA Tangle enable VE to provide an innovative virtual asset payment platform for seamless electric mobility as a service to clients. IOTA was employed as the DLT platform due to its data traceability, immutability, and tamper-proof features which allow for verification of integrity of data. IOTA offers flexibility and performance to support a reliable digital solution. Findings from this study presents a layered architecture that aids IOTA Tangle to make requests, inter-communicate, and share data via RESTful application programming interface as gateway with other external digital platforms deployed by VE to achieve an interoperable eco-system.