zk-IoT: Securing the Internet of Things with Zero-Knowledge Proofs on Blockchain Platforms
Gholamreza Ramezan, Ehsan Meamari
TL;DR
The paper addresses securing IoT ecosystems where devices may not inherently trust each other by ensuring the integrity of firmware execution and data processing through zero-knowledge proofs on a blockchain. It introduces the zk-IoT framework, integrating zk-Devices, a functional-commitment ZKP scheme, service contracts, blockchain nodes, relayers, and a blockchain protocol across a three-tier architecture to enable verifiable, autonomous inter-device computations. A detailed ZKP scheme with FC and PCD, together with service contracts and blockchain orchestration, enables continuous, verifiable interactions among untrusted devices, supported by a preliminary performance evaluation. Results show prover/verification times in the sub-second range and slower blockchain write/read operations, demonstrating feasibility while highlighting the need for faster blockchain substrates for large-scale deployment in smart cities, healthcare, and industrial automation.
Abstract
This paper introduces the zk-IoT framework, a novel approach to enhancing the security of Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystems through the use of Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) on blockchain platforms. Our framework ensures the integrity of firmware execution and data processing in potentially compromised IoT devices. By leveraging the concept of ZKP, we establish a trust layer that facilitates secure, autonomous communication between IoT devices in environments where devices may not inherently trust each other. The framework includes zk-Devices, which utilize functional commitment to generate proofs for executed programs, and service contracts for encoding interaction logic among devices. It also utilizes a blockchain layer and a relayer as a ZKP storage and data communication protocol, respectively. Our experiments demonstrate that proof generation, reading, and verification take approximately 694, 5078, and 19 milliseconds in our system setup, respectively. These timings meet the practical requirements for IoT device communication, demonstrating the feasibility and efficiency of our solution. The zk-IoT framework represents a significant advancement in the realm of IoT security, paving the way for reliable and scalable IoT networks across various applications, such as smart city infrastructures, healthcare systems, and industrial automation.