Abstract
Industries are evolving towards an integral digitisation of their processes. In the face of ever-faster market demands and ever-increasing quality, information technology (IT) progress represents the only solution to these needs. Industry 4.0 was born with this focus, where cybernetic systems interact with each other to achieve, efficiently, a predetermined goal. The whole process takes place with minimal, or in some cases total, absence of human intervention, leaving the systems to interact in full autonomy. This approach commonly falls under the internet of things (IoT) paradigm, in which all objects, regardless of size and functionality, are connected in a standard network exchanging information. In this sense, objects acquire intelligence because they can modify their behaviours based on the data they receive and transmit.
TopIntroduction
In recent years, we are increasingly experiencing a rapid spread of so-called smart objects thanks to the steady growth of the Internet of Things (IoT). Smart objects are devices that can retrieve and transfer data and information via the Internet, enabling interaction with other objects and, thus, with people, improving the quality of life in cities, homes, workplaces, and public places (Melibari et al., 2023). IoT projects, with their own devices (sensors and actuators) and the data processed by them, can be managed through cloud platforms.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is an expression that emerged from the need to define the network of objects connected to the Internet. Objects represent embedded devices consisting of hardware and software (and possibly sensors/actuators) and network connectivity to enable connection and, thus, exchange of information with the network. Through the network infrastructure, IoT thus enables the remote sensing and control of objects, exploiting the immense potential of software in applications to solve real-world problems. Prominent examples are provided by the so-called Smart City project (Saadeh et al., 2018), aimed at improving the quality of life in the city, and that of Smart House, comfortable and technological homes(Syed et al., 2021).
The basic structure of the IoT architecture consists of five essential elements:
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sensors/actuators, i.e., the tangible and integrated components in the environments, the system terminals that continuously monitor and acquire data or perform actions based on received instructions.
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network, i.e., the connection structure.
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cloud, on which data is collected and stored.
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analytical component, consisting of the algorithms that have the fundamental role of carrying out the decision-making and computational processes to fulfil the system's objectives. This component is the core of the IoT framework.
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user interface, to allow the end user to view the state of the environment or make decisions.
In a more general view, the presented elements can be placed into three levels of operation. Sensors and actuators are part of the perceptual layer, which collects data and information from the physical world, taking advantage of various technologies, such as cameras, GPS, and wireless sensors. The application layer is responsible for showing analysis results to end users through an intuitive interface. On the other hand, data processing and transmission functions are performed by the network layer (Aboubakar et al., 2022). The network bridges the perceptual component and the application layer by relying on various wireless technologies (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, RFID) and numerous communication protocols (such as IPV6, MQTT, and HTTP).
Given the large volume of networked devices and, thus, sensitive data inherent in users' privacy, security is paramount. There is a risk of losing control of what is communicated to the network; sensors, meters, and everyday objects capable of collecting and exchanging information can record information about habits or health status to resell to third parties (Yu et al., 2021).
In the rapidly evolving digital technology sphere, the convergence of intelligent machines and Internet of Things (IoT) systems is reshaping the dynamics of industries worldwide. As these technologies become increasingly intertwined in our everyday lives and business operations, the security of these systems represents a paramount concern for their proper functioning. The risks are myriad, and if managed poorly, the consequences could be disastrous, impacting not only industries but potentially causing harm to individuals.
The stakes are particularly high in sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, and energy, where integrating intelligent machines and IoT devices is critical. In this context, implementing robust security measures from the initial design stage becomes imperative to prevent damage. This necessitates a holistic and proactive approach that spans the entire lifecycle of these systems, from conceptualisation and development to deployment and operation (Atlam & Wills, 2020).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Finality: In the context of distributed registers, the finality is the principle according to a certain change to the register becomes immutable and irreversible.
Distributed ledger: Is a shared, replicated, and synchronised database within a network. Each participant can add information by disseminating the changes to other nodes in the network.
Key Encapsulation Mechanisms: Is the mechanism whereby content encrypted with a symmetric key can be protected using asymmetric encryption.
Decentralised Storage: These are data storage systems within shared public networks, the components of which are controlled by multiple stakeholders instead of a single entity.
Consensus Protocol: Is a set of rules that must be followed by participants in a network to agree on a certain value. Consensus protocols also consider any faulty participants.
Internet of Things: Internet of things is a paradigm that extends the concept of the Internet to the world of objects, networked together, that autonomously exchange information.
Decentralisation: Is a concept that involves the distribution of resources and/or information equally within a network, where each node can communicate independently with others and with the outside world.