Blockchain-Enhanced Security Framework for Industrial IoT and Vehicular Networks with ChaCha20-Poly1305 Encryption and Zero Knowledge Proof

In this paper, a novel security framework for industrial internet of things (IIoT) and vehicular networks is proposed, integrating blockchain technology with advanced encryption and data classification mechanisms to enhance data integrity, confidentiality and trustworthiness. The work employed ChaCha20-Poly1305 encryption to safeguard the data transaction to local cluster nodes. A private blockchain gateway then processes the encrypted data, classifying it based on confidentiality levels, and directing storage either to cloud servers or the interplanetary file system (IPFS). To ensure data integrity, a proof of authority consensus mechanism within the blockchain is incorporated, while zero knowledge proof (ZKP) methods are used for authentication and secure data access. Empirical evaluations demonstrate that our framework achieves a data transmission security rate of 97.5%, with an average encryption and decryption latency of 150 milliseconds, significantly improving over traditional methods. The proof of authority consensus mechanism exhibits a transaction validation speed of 300 transactions per second, showcasing enhanced efficiency compared to standard blockchain models. Furthermore, the integration of ZKP challenges results in a 30% reduction in unauthorised access attempts, indicating a substantial improvement in overall security. This work emphasises the need for continuous innovation in addressing the various security issues in IoT, ultimately advancing the operational efficiency and security of these systems.