Designing a Security Framework Based on Hybrid Communication in Internet of Nano Things.

In recent years, nanotechnology has emerged as a significant field of study with far-reaching implications. Integrating this nanoscale technology into the Internet of Things (IoT) has given rise to the Internet of Nano Things (IoNT) paradigm. This revolutionary technology significantly impacts healthcare, smart homes, and defense. This technological advancement has opened up new possibilities for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of these areas and has the potential to revolutionize their approach. Many research initiatives are addressing the definition of secure, scalable, and reliable network architectures at the nanoscale. However, the nano nature of this technology poses several security challenges for secure data transmission. Authentication is one of a prerequisite for secure data transmission. Our study presents a novel ECC-based authentication protocol for IoNT in this context. Since the nanoscale devices have less computational capabilities, this protocol leverages a secure hash function and XOR operations to ensure lightweight yet robust authentication. The protocol seamlessly integrates molecular and electromagnetic communication methods, thereby enhancing both security and efficiency within IoNT networks. In such a hybrid approach, parameter settings and message exchange are properly devised to achieve the aforementioned security services effectively. The security and authentication aspects of the protocol are rigorously examined using the Real-or-Random (ROR) model and Burrows-Abadi-Needham (BAN) logic, with its resilience against security threats tested via the AVISPA tool. We also analyze communication costs, computational overhead, and real-world feasibility. Finally, by employing the Nano-sim and N3Sim tools, we simulate and demonstrate the Internet of Nano-Things environment (i.e., expressed in terms of the packet loss ratio and the average amount of time required for propagation of authentication messages through molecular communications). This research stands as a pivotal contribution, fortifying the foundations of IoNT through heightened security and enhanced reliability.