Next-Generation Security Schemes and Models for IoT-Enabled Smart Environments

Dear Colleagues,

The development of IoT-driven smart applications, spanning from smart homes and cities to healthcare and industrial automation, poses complex security and privacy problems. Traditional security approaches generally fail to match the requirements of these environments, which necessitate flexible, lightweight, scalable, and context-aware solutions. Current research focuses on discrete pieces such as encryption, authentication, and access control. However, there is an increasing demand for cohesive strategies that amalgamate these components with new technologies such as artificial intelligence, edge computing, and zero-trust frameworks. This Special Issue encourages high-quality research on next-generation security models suited for the dynamic and diverse character of IoT-enabled smart systems. We invite contributions that examine innovative frameworks, protocols, and architectures capable of handling threats in real time, with a focus on resilience, trust, and user-centric security.

Complex security and privacy issues arise with the proliferation of IoT-driven smart applications, which range from smart cities and homes to healthcare and industrial automation. The demand for secure services, which require adaptable, lightweight, scalable, and context-aware solutions, is typically not met by traditional security techniques. Discrete components including access control, authentication, and encryption are the main focus of current research. Coherent strategies that combine these elements with emerging technologies such as edge computing, artificial intelligence, and zero-trust frameworks are becoming ever-more necessary. Excellent research on next-generation security models that are appropriate for the dynamic and varied nature of IoT-enabled smart systems is encouraged by this Special Issue. Emphasizing security, trust, and resilience, we encourage contributions that look at novel frameworks, protocols, and architectures that can respond to attacks in real time.

This Special Issue focuses on next-generation security models tailored for IoT-enabled smart environments, including smart cities, smart homes, healthcare systems, and industrial automation. These systems introduce unique challenges due to their scale, heterogeneity, mobility, and resource constraints.

We invite high-quality, original research that proposes innovative, real-time, and resilient security solutions for IoT-based systems. Topics of interest include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Adaptive access control mechanisms;
• Lightweight cryptographic techniques;
• Zero-trust security models;
• AI- and ML-based threat detection;
• Privacy-preserving architectures;
• Security in edge/fog computing environments.

We aim to further the formulation of integrated, context-sensitive security methods that can effectively tackle the intricate and dynamic threat landscape in intelligent environments. This Special Issue will bridge the gap between isolated security components and holistic, next-generation frameworks.

Although the research now in publication offers insightful information on particular facets of IoT security, such access control, authentication, and encryption, these are frequently examined separately and are not contextually adaptive. Furthermore, the large-scale and dynamic nature of smart systems cannot be supported by conventional security approaches. Using cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, edge computing, and zero-trust paradigms, this Special Issue will enhance previous research by promoting complete methodologies that integrate these disparate elements into coherent, scalable, and intelligent frameworks. By doing this, the problem will offer a more comprehensive and useful viewpoint for protecting the upcoming generation of intelligent apps.

Dr. Maurizio Giacobbe
Dr. Max Talanov
Dr. Giuseppe Tricomi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Big Data and Cognitive Computing is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• detection
• context-aware security
• cybersecurity in smart applications
• edge and fog computing security
• IoT security
• lightweight cryptography
• privacy-preserving systems
• security and privacy in cloud-edge continuum
• security and resilience quantification
• zero-trust architecture