Leveraging Blockchain-as-a-Certificate Authority for Authentication in 6G-Enabled Spatial Crowdsourcing Drone Services

The integration of the Internet of Drone Things (IoDT) with spatial crowdsourcing, enhanced by 6G technology, has revolutionized environmental monitoring, particularly in managing Australian bushfires. This approach leverages drones’ mobility, multidimensional motion, and ease of deployment to gather real-time data from hazardous or inaccessible areas. However, the unsecured wireless communication channels and limited computational resources of drones in typical IoDT scenarios make them susceptible to cyber-attacks, including spoofing, GPS manipulation, impersonation, man-in-the-middle, and hijacking. To counter these threats, we propose a robust security protocol that utilizes blockchain technology augmented by Hyperelliptic Curve Cryptography (HECC). By employing blockchain as a Certificate Authority (CA) and treating transactions as certifications, our framework, DronCert, eliminates the need for traditional CAs or Trusted Third Parties (TTP). This decentralized approach, combined with the high-speed, low-latency capabilities of 6G, significantly enhances data transmission security within the IoDT network. A comprehensive security analysis demonstrates DronCert’s resilience against various attacks, such as Denial-of-Service (DoS), man-in-the-middle, replay, and unauthorized device representation.