Internet of Things (IoT) Devices Encryption Approaches: Enabling Secure Communication Possible in Low-Resource Settings

The fast growth of Internet of Things (IoT) devices has increased the need for secure communication routes to protect sensitive data, especially in low-resource situations with computational power and energy limits. IoT devices' limited hardware capabilities make it difficult to deploy computationally complex and power-hungry encryption techniques. This research investigates IoT-specific encryption methods to enable secure communication while minimising device performance and energy usage. Elliptic curve cryptography (ECC), advanced encryption standard (AES) with lower key sizes, and hash-based message authentication codes (HMAC) are tested for IoT communication security. We also study hardware-accelerated encryption and energy-efficient methods like homomorphic encryption, which permits encrypted data operations without decryption. For low-resource devices, the paper investigates hybrid encryption algorithms that combine symmetric and asymmetric cryptography to optimise security and efficiency. We compare encryption strength, computational overhead, and battery consumption to find the best IoT device security solutions for resource-constrained scenarios. This research offers practical, scalable encryption solutions that match robust protection with resource-constrained IoT devices, improving IoT security. The findings seek to help build secure IoT connection methods that safely convey sensitive data without affecting device performance or lifespan. Quantum-Resistant cryptography and blockchain technologies for decentralised, secure IoT networks may be explored in future research.