Proof of Authenticity of General IoT Information with Tamper-Evident Sensors and Blockchain

TL;DR

This paper addresses authenticating IoT sensor data in untrusted networks, proposing a tamper-evident logging mechanism where sensors sign readouts and submit cryptographic evidence to a blockchain. It uses digest chains and Merkle proofs to enable verifiability despite data loss and untrusted intermediaries. It demonstrates through simulations that an a-past linkage (backlinks) improves resilience with manageable overhead, and presents a prototype implementation. The method supports streaming and event-driven IoT, with potential humanitarian applications in disaster response.

Abstract

Sensor data in IoT (Internet of Things) systems is vulnerable to tampering or falsification when transmitted through untrusted services. This is critical because such data increasingly underpins real-world decisions in domains such as logistics, healthcare, and other critical infrastructure. We propose a general method for secure sensor-data logging in which tamper-evident devices periodically sign readouts, link data using redundant hash chains, and submit cryptographic evidence to a blockchain-based service via Merkle trees to ensure verifiability even under data loss. Our approach enables reliable and cost-effective validation of sensor data across diverse IoT systems, including disaster response and other humanitarian applications, without relying on the integrity of intermediate systems.

Figures (9)

• Figure 1: Merkle proof for digest verification
• Figure 2: Smart contract for digest storage
• Figure 3: Threat model for data integrity
• Figure 4: System overview with blockchain logging
• Figure 5: Sensor data structure and digests