SWORD: A Secure LoW-Latency Offline-First Authentication and Data Sharing Scheme for Resource Constrained Distributed Networks
Faisal Haque Bappy, Tahrim Hossain, Raiful Hasan, Kamrul Hasan, Mohamed Younis, Tariqul Islam
TL;DR
SWORD tackles the latency and connectivity challenges of authenticating devices in resource-constrained IoT/IoV networks by combining offline-first proximity-based clustering with blockchain-backed, tamper-evident audit trails. The approach introduces a Temporary Authentication Ledger for local rapid authentication, a threshold-based challenge-response protocol for decentralized verification, and Merkle-proof synchronization to ensure eventual consistency with the global ledger. Key contributions include the proximity-based clustering mechanism, TAL design, Merkle-root synchronization, and a formal security analysis showing resilience to spoofing, replay, tampering, and MITM, all demonstrated on a Hyperledger Fabric prototype. The work provides a practical foundation for secure, low-latency offline operation in edge, IoT, and vehicular networks, with future directions toward Verifiable Credentials and adaptive thresholding.
Abstract
While many resource-constrained networks, such as Internet of Things (IoT) and Internet of Vehicles (IoV), are inherently distributed, the majority still rely on central servers for fast authentication and data sharing. Blockchain-based solutions offer decentralized alternatives but often struggle to meet the stringent latency requirements of real-time applications. Even with the rollout of 5G, network latency between servers and peers remains a significant challenge. To address this, we introduce SWORD, a novel offline-first authentication and data-sharing scheme designed specifically for resource-constrained networks. SWORD utilizes a proximity-based clustering approach to enable offline authentication and data sharing, ensuring low-latency, secure operations even in intermittently connected scenarios. Our experimental results show that SWORD outperforms traditional blockchain-based solutions while offering similar resource efficiency and authentication latency to central-server-based solutions. Additionally, we provide a comprehensive security analysis, demonstrating that SWORD is resilient against spoofing, impersonation, replay, and man-in-the-middle attacks.