IbiboRPLChain II: A Blockchain-Enhanced Security Framework for Mitigating Routing Attacks in IoT-RPL Networks

Ibibo, Joshua T.; Balota, Josiah E.; Alwada’N, Tariq F. M.; Akinade, Olugbenga O.

doi:10.3390/app152211874

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IbiboRPLChain II: A Blockchain-Enhanced Security Framework for Mitigating Routing Attacks in IoT-RPL Networks

School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technologies, Teesside University Middlesbrough, Middlesbrough TS1 3BQ, UK

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Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(22), 11874; https://doi.org/10.3390/app152211874

Submission received: 4 September 2025 / Revised: 5 October 2025 / Accepted: 13 October 2025 / Published: 7 November 2025

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence Technology in Industry)

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Abstract

The Internet of Things (IoT) continues to expand rapidly, with the Routing Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Networks (RPL) serving as its core communication backbone. However, RPL remains vulnerable to a range of insider routing attacks such as the Version Number Attack (VNA) and Hello Flooding Attack (HFA), particularly in constrained IoT environments. In our previous work, IbiboRPLChain, we proposed a blockchain-based authentication mechanism to secure communication between routing and sensor nodes. This paper presents an evolved framework, IbiboRPLChain II, which integrates smart contracts, decentralised authentication nodes, and composite blockchain mechanisms to improve network resilience, scalability, and security. Our experiments, conducted using Cooja and Contiki OS, evaluate the system across multiple simulation seeds, demonstrating significant gains in Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR), energy efficiency, and delay mitigation. IbiboRPLChain II proves to be a robust solution for secure, lightweight, and scalable RPL-based IoT environments.

Keywords: IoT-LLN; RPL; security framework; blockchain; authentication; insider attacks; routing attacks

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MDPI and ACS Style

Ibibo, J.T.; Balota, J.E.; Alwada’N, T.F.M.; Akinade, O.O. IbiboRPLChain II: A Blockchain-Enhanced Security Framework for Mitigating Routing Attacks in IoT-RPL Networks. Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, 11874. https://doi.org/10.3390/app152211874

AMA Style

Ibibo JT, Balota JE, Alwada’N TFM, Akinade OO. IbiboRPLChain II: A Blockchain-Enhanced Security Framework for Mitigating Routing Attacks in IoT-RPL Networks. Applied Sciences. 2025; 15(22):11874. https://doi.org/10.3390/app152211874

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ibibo, Joshua T., Josiah E. Balota, Tariq F. M. Alwada’N, and Olugbenga O. Akinade. 2025. "IbiboRPLChain II: A Blockchain-Enhanced Security Framework for Mitigating Routing Attacks in IoT-RPL Networks" Applied Sciences 15, no. 22: 11874. https://doi.org/10.3390/app152211874

APA Style

Ibibo, J. T., Balota, J. E., Alwada’N, T. F. M., & Akinade, O. O. (2025). IbiboRPLChain II: A Blockchain-Enhanced Security Framework for Mitigating Routing Attacks in IoT-RPL Networks. Applied Sciences, 15(22), 11874. https://doi.org/10.3390/app152211874

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IbiboRPLChain II: A Blockchain-Enhanced Security Framework for Mitigating Routing Attacks in IoT-RPL Networks

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