Protecting Data Confidentiality in the Cloud of Things

Introduction

Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a network of devices, appliances, buildings, vehicles and other elements that contain digital chips, software and sensors, and are connected with each other through the Internet, enabling them to collect, analyse and share data with each other. Typically, IoT relies on the process of assigning the objects an identity (ID) number, (e.g., the IP address) and controlling them via the Internet. The IoT involves connecting all devices that we use to the Internet via special receivers, and gathering information without the need for human intervention.

The common denominator between cloud computing and the IoT is the Internet and networking. The Internet is used to deliver services for cloud computing and to connect devices to the central servers in the IoT. Recently, global investment in cloud computing and storage in the cloud has increased. This effectively requires connecting devices to the Internet and access to their data clouds.

Researchers are working towards the creation of smart cities that will be controlled via the Internet and will generate and store large volumes of data. Towards this goal, the development of secure and efficient Cloud of Things (CoT) technologies is a very important and challenging task. The CoT control will be used in hospitals, factories, power plants, cars, trains, airplanes, and even electrical appliances inside the house, e.g., to adjust the lights, TV, and other home devices.

The security of the CoT with regard to storing and retrieving information is controversial. Some people believe that information is not safe when the internal network is managed, while others believe that IoT clouds can provide the necessary security to ensure the conservation and integrity of information.

Information security problems in the IoT clouds come from the server and client provider, but the greatest responsibility is always that of the service provider. It is mandatory to provide a secure infrastructure and tools and storage depots that are safe. In this paper, we propose a security solution for ensuring data confidentiality in CoT. We use the Scyther tool in order to prove that the solution is secure against different types of attacks, including replay attacks.