Analysis of Lightweight Cryptography Methods
The latest reports and Internet statistics predict that the number of devices connected to IP networks will be more than three times larger than the global population by the end of 2022. The increase in the number of devices is closely related to advancements in industry and the development of mobile communication systems, as well as the enormous increase of mobile users, followed by the development of 5G networks and Internet of Things (IoT). However, with technological advancements in IoT, devices that do not have enough resources for execution of complex algorythms but still require certain level of security, become more common. Lightweight Cryptography is a technology that aims to provide secure communication to such devices, taking into account their limited power, processing, and memory resources. Lightweight cryptography by definition is a cryptographic algorithm or protocol designed for use in restricted environments, which extends the use of cryptography to devices with limited resources (including RFID tags, sensors, contactless smart cards, medical, and similar devices). International standardization and guidelines for further development in this field are currently underway.
The aim of this master’s thesis is twofold. On the one hand, the thesis presents theoretical concepts, algorithms, and protocols related to the implementation of security protocols in the Internet of Things. An overview of proposed standards is provided, including ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 27 group and ISO/IEC 29192 standard, the latest standardization project. The hardware and software characteristics of systems that condition the implementation of lightweight cryptography, such as chip architecture, RAM size, algorithm implementation size, and energy consumption, are also discussed. On the other hand, the thesis presents several different lightweight cryptography methods, which include different approaches and have attracted the most attention from the professional community. The operation and application of each method are explained. Then, the required resources and performance of the methods are analyzed, using different microcontrollers that simulate the operation of microprocessors in the Internet of Things technology. The results are presented and compared in tables. Finally, the drawbacks and potential attacks on these methods are discussed, as well as the future application and further development of lightweight cryptography within the Internet of Things technology.