Energy-Efficient Multi-Factor Authentication for IIoT Devices Using Blockchain Technology

Background/Objectives: Traditional single-factor authentication (SFA) SFA solutions, centralized identity management, and even user authentication techniques do not meet the scalability, resilience, or energy efficiency requirements of IIoT systems. This study is focussed on presenting a novel, energy efficient Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) architecture leveraging blockchain resources to create decentralized trust and access control over IIoT devices, users, and interactions. Method: The proposed system consists of three core parts; IIoT devices with lightweight security module, a dedicated, server for authentication, and a Hyperledger Fabric based blockchain. The system deploys a modular MFA scheme which includes knowledge, possession, and a possible biometric based factor together with blockchain validated device identities. Through smart contracts, authentication logic is applied, while edge computing reduces energy consumption and latencies with interactive and dependent requests by using a caching strategy. The architecture was implemented and evaluated in a simulated IIoT environment based on Raspberry Pi devices. The overall evaluation metrics were comprised of authentication time, energy consumption, scalability and mitigation of attacks. Findings: The results show substantial improvements compared to traditional MFA method; 45% reduction in authentication time, and greater than 30% energy savings. The system provided strong security assurances against spoofing, replay and man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks. Novelty: The proposed approach suggests that an efficient and scalable solution could provide a framework for an energy conscious and secure authentication method to modern industry. Keywords: IIoT, MFA, Blockchain, Edge Computing, Energy Efficiency