An overview of personal data protection in mobile IoT based upon a bibliometric analysis

The rapid growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) fosters innovation and connectivity but also heightens personal data vulnerability, raising concerns data privacy and integrity. Although adaptive security mechanisms have been introduced, their effectiveness remains uncertain, calling for ongoing research. This paper provides a bibliometric analysis and a review of current methods for personal data protection in mobile IoT systems. Based on Scopus database data, 390 publications from 264 sources were identified, authored by 1,238 researchers between 2010 and 2023, through four primary languages. The analysis indicates 32.55% annual increase in scientific output, with an average of 3.53 co-authors per document and an international collaboration rate of 24.36%. Results showed that data protection in mobile IoT relies on strengthening IoT infrastructures and regulatory compliance, integrating cryptographic algorithms and blockchain for confidentiality and non-repudiation. The Covid-19 pandemic has heightened the focus on IoT data security, underscoring the field's increasing significance.