IDIA: IOTA and Decentralized Identifiers Assisted Authentication in Smart Oceans

Muhammad Waleed, Knud Erik Skouby, Sokol Kosta

Abstract: Centralized identity management systems face significant challenges, including vulnerabilities to single points of failure, scalability issues, and privacy and control concerns. While blockchain has been pivotal in addressing these challenges, it is not feasible for resource-constrained IoT devices due to high computation, energy demands and transaction fees. This study proposes a novel IOTA and Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) Assisted Authentication (IDIA) system that leverages DIDs and a lightweight DLT, the IOTA Shimmer, to create a decentralized, scalable, and secure identity system tailored for the remote marine environment. The proposed system enhances security and reliability by utilizing the energy-efficient identity solutions of the IOTA Shimmer, significantly improving the security of maritime digital systems. We rigorously tested the system on a real testbed, conducting extensive experiments and comparative analysis to assess its performance in terms of computation overhead.