Secure and Scalable Data Sharing in IoT Environments with Blockchain Integration

Abstract

The rapid growth of Internet of Things (IoT) devices has revolutionized digital ecosystems, enabling real-time automation and decision-making. However, the large volume and sensitivity of data from distributed IoT networks pose serious challenges in ensuring secure, scalable, and trustworthy data sharing. Centralized architectures are prone to failures, breaches, and limited auditability. This paper proposes a blockchain-integrated framework to overcome these limitations in heterogeneous IoT environments. The model utilizes distributed ledger technology (DLT) to ensure tamper-proof data integrity, decentralized control, and verifiable audit trails. Smart contracts dynamically enforce access policies, while attribute-based encryption (ABE) provides fine-grained control over data access. Lightweight blockchain nodes are deployed at the edge to reduce latency and reliance on cloud infrastructure. A layered architecture ensures seamless interaction among IoT devices, edge nodes, and cloud systems. To evaluate the framework, a prototype was built using ESP32 sensors, Raspberry Pi 4 edge nodes, and a Hyperledger Fabric blockchain network. Data encryption and smart contract execution were tested under realistic conditions. Results show enhanced data security, access control, and system scalability with minimal performance overhead. This framework provides a practical solution for secure data sharing in IoT ecosystems and is well-suited for deployment in smart cities, healthcare, and industrial automation.