Blockchain based distributed trust management in IoT and IIoT: a survey

The Internet of Things (IoT) connects objects that sense, communicate, and interact to achieve shared goals, and its integration with manufacturing has led to Industry 4.0. Security is crucial for user acceptance, involving data confidentiality, integrity, authentication, identity management, privacy, and trust among devices. Trust management is vital in IoT and IIoT for reliable services, accurate data collection, device authentication, and secure decision-making. This paper surveys blockchain-based trust mechanisms in IoT and IIoT, categorizing them into four types: basic trust frameworks, enhanced trust interaction, trust data management, and trust-based transaction validation. We analyze these mechanisms to identify their strengths, weaknesses, and current challenges. Blockchain shows promise in improving trust management by decentralizing trust, ensuring transparency, and enhancing security. However, challenges like scalability, energy consumption, and integration with existing IoT infrastructure remain. This survey aims to guide future research by highlighting these issues and proposing potential solutions, contributing to the development of blockchain-based trust management systems in IoT and IIoT.