Emerging Authentication Technologies for Zero Trust on the Internet of Things

The large and interconnected nature of the Internet of Things (IoT) presents unique security challenges, even as it revolutionizes various sectors. With numerous devices, often limited in resources, traditional perimeter-based security methods struggle to keep pace. The “never trust, always verify” principle of zero trust security offers a viable solution. Zero trust security is a concept that has become increasingly popular, using key exchange techniques to ensure secure and authenticated communication within the network, especially in managing risks in critical infrastructure. Authentication is a process to identify an entity, a prerequisite for authorization, and essential for granting access control. It fundamentally relies on trust management and various methods to generate and manage cryptographic keys for authentication. The aim of this study is to enhance zero trust security in the context of the Internet of Things by investigating authentication methods and discussing several potential solutions for successful implementation. This study also presents the performance evaluation criteria for authentication in IoT and introduces advanced approaches for different scenarios, including lightweight cryptography, mutual authentication, and blockchain technology. Finally, we address challenges related to implementation and future directions for research.