Abstract

The increasing integration of IoT-based sensor and ad hoc networks in diverse applications, such as healthcare, smart cities, and industrial automation, has heightened concerns about data security and privacy. Traditional cryptographic techniques often impose excessive computational overhead, making them unsuitable for resource- constrained IoT environments. Addressing this challenge, a lightweight and secure cryptographic framework is proposed, incorporating multi-factor authentication, efficient key exchange, and hybrid encryption mechanisms. The authentication process begins with a biometric-based multi-factor verification system, utilizing user biometrics, username, and password to establish secure user access. Following user authentication, an optimized lightweight key exchange mechanism ensures mutual authentication between IoT devices and the cloud server, enhancing communication security. Encrypted sensor data are then securely transmitted to the cloud using a hybrid encryption scheme that integrates elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) with a genetic algorithm, optimizing encryption efficiency while maintaining robust security. The proposed framework is designed to resist common cyber threats such as replay attacks, man-in-the-middle attacks, and unauthorized access. Experimental results demonstrate a significant reduction in computational and communication overhead compared to conventional cryptographic approaches. The security analysis validates the framework's resilience, ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and authentication in IoT-based sensor networks. The combination of biometric authentication, lightweight cryptographic mechanisms, and an optimized hybrid encryption strategy provides an efficient and scalable security solution for IoT and ad hoc network environments.

Authors

Pankaj Rangaree¹, M. Joe Marshell²
Vaagdevi College of Engineering, India¹, SRM Valliammai Engineering College, India²

Keywords

Lightweight Cryptography, IoT Security, Biometric Authentication, Elliptic Curve Cryptography, Hybrid Encryption