A lightweight hierarchical method for improving security in the internet of things using fuzzy logic

Abstract

SummaryThe internet of things (IoT) refers to the interconnection of various devices through the internet. With the help of IoT, different applications and devices can interact with each other and even with humans through the internet. However, the widespread use of IoT in homes, offices, and private companies has raised concerns about privacy and security. The theft of user information by hackers is a major challenge that has hindered the adoption of IoT. This paper proposes a method for improving security on two levels: intra‐cluster and inter‐cluster. In the intra‐cluster phase, the cluster head uses fuzzy logic to measure the trust level of nodes. If the node is trusted, the information is received and sent to the destination. In the inter‐cluster phase, data between cluster heads is encrypted using column transposition encryption. The encryption is hop by hop, and the encryption key is changed at each hop. The proposed method is simulated using NS‐2 software. A comparison of the proposed method's performance with conventional methods shows that the proposed method results in better packet delivery rate, throughput, and prevention of link spoofing attacks.