AsyncSC: An Asynchronous Sidechain for Multi-Domain Data Exchange in Internet of Things

TL;DR

AsyncSC tackles cross-domain IoT data exchange without strict network synchronization by using a committee-based Cross-Blockchain as a Service (C-BaaS) and a Delayed Aggregate Signature (DAS) to generate asynchronous cross-chain proofs (ACPs). A multilevel buffered transaction pool enforces transaction sequencing and restricted readability, while DAS provides compact, verifiable delay-enabled cross-chain proofs. Security is proven under persistence and liveness assumptions, and a Hyperledger Fabric/ChainMaker prototype shows substantial throughput and latency improvements over state-of-the-art schemes with comparable overhead. The work enables scalable, secure, and efficient multi-domain IoT data exchange in asynchronous environments, with practical implications for permissioned and PoS blockchains.

Abstract

Sidechain techniques improve blockchain scalability and interoperability, providing decentralized exchange and cross-chain collaboration solutions for Internet of Things (IoT) data across various domains. However, current state-of-the-art (SOTA) schemes for IoT multi-domain data exchange are constrained by the need for synchronous networks, hindering efficient cross-chain interactions in discontinuous networks and leading to suboptimal data exchange. In this paper, we propose AsyncSC, a novel asynchronous sidechain construction. It employs a committee to provide Cross-Blockchain as a Service (C-BaaS) for data exchange in multi-domain IoT. To fulfill the need for asynchronous and efficient data exchange, we combine the ideas of aggregate signatures and verifiable delay functions to devise a novel cryptographic primitive called delayed aggregate signature (DAS), which constructs asynchronous cross-chain proofs (ACPs) that ensure the security of cross-chain interactions. To ensure the consistency of asynchronous transactions, we propose a multilevel buffered transaction pool that guarantees the transaction sequencing. We analyze and prove the security of AsyncSC, simulate an asynchronous communication environment, and conduct a comprehensive evaluation. The results show that AsyncSC outperforms SOTA schemes, improving throughput by an average of 1.21 to 3.96 times, reducing transaction latency by 59.76% to 83.61%, and maintaining comparable resource overhead.

Figures (7)

• Figure 1: Illustration for current sidechain-based cross-chain interactions. Wavy lines indicate omitted blocks. Blocks: 1.$\textsf{CTx}_{i}^{\textsf{send}}$ is initiated; 2. The cross-chain proof of $\textsf{CTx}_{i}^{\textsf{send}}$ is sent to SC; 3. A $\textsf{CTx}_{i}^{\textsf{recv}}$ is created; 4.$\textsf{CTx}_{i}^{\textsf{recv}}$ is stabilized on SC, and then $\textsf{CTx}_i$ is completed; 5 to 8. The $\textsf{CTx}_{i+1}$ is executed at the next epoch.
• Figure 2: Illustration for asynchronous cross-chain interactions.
• Figure 3: System model of AsyncSC.
• Figure 4: Cross-chain interaction entities and workflow in AsyncSC.
• Figure 5: Asynchronous transaction sequence guarantee mechanism.

Theorems & Definitions (4)

• Definition 1
• Definition 2
• Theorem 1
• proof