Abstract

Introduction

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Abstract

The industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) plays an important role in the industrial sector, where secure, scalable, and easily adopted technologies are being implemented for the smart industry. The traditional IIoT architectures are generally based on centralized architectures that are vulnerable to a single point of failure and to several cyber-attacks. Blockchain technology is frequently adopted in the modern industry because of its security and decentralization. This paper proposes a blockchain-based architecture that ensures secure and trustworthy industrial operations. A private and lightweight blockchain architecture is proposed to regulate access to valuable sensor and actuator data. To enhance the computational performance of the proposed architecture, real-time cryptographic algorithms are processed using a low-power ARM Cortex-M4 processor, and a highly scalable, fast, and energy-efficient consensus mechanism proof of authentication (PoAh) is deployed in the blockchain network. Extensive experiments and analysis proved the effectiveness of the proposed framework for smart industrial environments. Finally, we transform a conventional fruit processing plant into a secure and smart industrial platform by implementing the proposed architecture.

Introduction

Modern technologies and innovative concepts such as big data, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and cyber–physical systems have sparked a revolution in the industrial sector [1]. The integration of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) with smart industry has shifted industrial operations to a new level [2]. The IIoT dramatically changes several industrial processes by providing facilities and introducing new systems and business models [3], [4]. IIoT platforms offer several services to modern industries, including high-speed connectivity, edge and cloud computing, big data analysis and application development [5]. These services enhance existing industrial processes by optimizing production processes, improving customer services, and reducing manufacturing costs using emerging and cutting-edge techniques [6], [7]. The current industry trends and initiatives are targeted at realizing the fourth industrial revolution by connecting the existing industrial environments to Internet services [8], [9].