Securing Blockchain-based Internet of Things (IoT) Networks with Hybrid Encryption Schemes

Abstract

The exponential growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) has enabled transformative innovations across healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, and smart cities. However, this interconnected ecosystem faces significant security challenges due to its distributed nature and resource- constrained devices. Traditional blockchain solutions, while offering immutability and decentralization, are often computationally intensive and unsuitable for lightweight IoT architectures. This paper addresses these challenges by proposing a Hybrid Encryption Scheme that combines symmetric encryption (AES) for fast and lightweight data processing with asymmetric encryption (ECC/RSA) for secure key exchange and authentication. The symmetric key is encrypted using the public key of the receiver and stored immutably on a blockchain ledger to ensure tamper-resistance and decentralized control. The proposed model enhances data privacy, integrity, and access control while reducing computational burden. Simulation results show that the proposed hybrid framework achieves a 40% reduction in energy consumption and a 35% improvement in communication latency compared to conventional blockchain-based                                     cryptographic           models. Additionally, throughput is increased by 50% while maintaining high-security compliance standards (FIPS 140-3). These results highlight the feasibility of deploying secure, scalable, and resource-efficient blockchain-enabled IoT networks using hybrid encryption mechanisms.