Application of Blockchain and Smart Contracts on the Internet of Things

Nicholas Lucci & Mohammed Ketel
International Journal of Computer Science and Security (IJCSS), Volume (14) : Issue (2) : 2020 60
Application of Blockchain and Smart Contracts
on the Internet of Things
Nicholas Lucci nicholas.lucci@ubalt.edu
Applied Information Technology
University of Baltimore
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Mohammed Ketel mketel@ubalt.edu
Applied Information Technology
University of Baltimore
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Abstract
With the recent peak in interest regarding the concepts of bitcoin and the associated Blockchain
(BC) network, this paper seeks to examine current implementations of using peer-to-peer based
transaction system and the technology behind it. Due to the inherent trustless transaction model
incorporated within a BC based system, members are able to transact with other members
without the use of a middleman. Additionally, this paper explores the concepts of smart
contracts, scripts embedded into the BC system to execute specified external functions following
a successful transaction on the network. This decentralized system appears to be the perfect fit
for the growing Internet of Things (IoT), the network of devices that can facilitate a growing
market between devices and services across the internet. The paper explores the various
difficulties associated with setting up such a system, while also exploring the benefits solutions
that a decentralized IoT BC system would provide to the current technological landscape. The
findings of the paper indicate that there is a demand and a place for an IoT BC through the
implementations of smart contracts and careful planning. This type of network could help to
revolutionize the current industrial landscape across a variety of sectors in the near future.
Keywords: Blockchain, Bitcoin, IoT, Security, Smart Contracts.
1. INTRODUCTION
Recently, both cryptocurrency and the associated Blockchain (BC) technology have attracted a
wide array of interest across a variety of fields, including finance [1, 2], healthcare [3, 4],
governmental agencies [5, 6] and the technology sector [7 - 9]. The use of BC technology allows
applications to be run independently of any central authority while retaining the same amount of
confidence as before. This functionality is possible because of the peer-to-peer structure of the
network, which allows parties on the network to communicate securely even though they do not
inherently trust each other. The use of cryptography ingrained into the BC network promotes a
secure environment for all transactions across the network [10].
The use of smart contracts built upon the BC network offers unique advantages for developers
and researchers working with the Internet of Things (IoT). Smart contracts are self-executing
scripts that contain instructions based on an input [7, 8, and 27]. This can be anything from
transferring funds from one financial institution to another, or releasing the title to a car after a
payment is verified on the network. Due to the trustless nature of the BC network, smart
contracts create the ability to consolidate the verification process for the end user and eliminate
the need for middlemen and third party services. Smart contracts create a much more
streamlined process for everyone involved and provide numerous benefits to security that are
simply not available to traditional contracts [13, 27].

Unfortunately, even with all the benefits that a BC based network and smart contracts bring to the
table, they are not always an ideal solution. This paper will seek to expand upon the concepts of
smart contracts and the associated BC network, while exploring the pros and cons of
implementing a BC based network alongside the IoT. This paper will also seek to expand upon
the future implementations of the IoT and show how to formulate decisions when trying to decide
whether or not a blockchain based network will provide a benefit to the desired applications.
The paper will begin by expanding upon the concept of a BC, breaking down the technicalities
between how the BC operates and the associated network operations involved. Next, it will detail
the concept of smart contracts and how they can help to redefine how transactions on a BC-
based network can be automated between the involved parties. The next part will explore how
BCs and IoT can be used together while identifying current implementations and their associated
pros and cons. Finally, the paper will present the conclusions found.
2. TECHNOLOGICAL OVERVIEW
2.1 Concept of a Blockchain
A BC is a digital ledger technology in which transactions made in cryptocurrency are recorded
chronologically and publicly [7, 8]. It is a distributed database that is used to maintain a
continuously growing list of records known as blocks and is managed using a peer-to-peer
network that collectively adheres to a protocol for validating each subsequent block in the chain
[7, 8]. The concept of a BC was conceptualized by Satoshi Nakamoto and first appeared in 2008
as a core component of bitcoin where it serves as a ledger for public transactions [10]. As a
transaction becomes validated by the miners on the network, the transaction block will be
appended to the BC creating a long standing mutually agreed upon chain of blocks which makes
up the public ledger of transactions establishing who owns what [11]. Each block in the chain
contains a hash to the previous block in the chain, maintaining that the chain continues to remain
validated as it grows.
FIGURE 1: A Simplified Blockchain.
2.2 Independent Blockchains
When using a BC it is not necessary to have a connected cryptocurrency as a block is able to
function solely on its own [12]. A BC is merely a link of transactions between parties which are
batched together into a chain. Each header element of a block is hashed and then referenced in
the next block ensuring the integrity of the chain as seen in Figure 1. Any node on the network
can access this chain of blocks and figure out the current state of each transaction ID by following
the chain of blocks throughout the transactions [13].
While this process describes individual blocks on the network, it is important to understand how
the network functions. Each client on a network is known as a node with each node having

access to the same BC as all other nodes on the network [8]. These nodes together form a peer
to peer network where the users interact with each other using a series of private and public keys,
essentially account numbers. When creating a node on a network, each node will have access to
a public key which essentially acts as a public address for a person on the network. This is used
in conjunction with the private key, which is used to sign off on transactions associated with the
public key [13].
Together the combination of public and private keys is protected by asymmetric encryption, which
brings authenticity and integrity to the network, while ensuring that each transaction is unique and
cannot be duplicated. Following a transaction being signed with a private key, the block is
relayed to the one-hop peers on the network who then also validate the authenticity of the
transaction before forwarding it further on through the network [7, 13].
The transactions that have been validated for authenticity are then ordered into the candidate BC
by timestamp. If the block is validated through the mining process which will be explained later,
the mining node will resend the now cryptographically authenticated block back through the
network. Should the block be seen as authentic by the nodes on the network, meaning that the
block both contains valid transaction information as well as correct references to the hashes of
the previous blocks; the block will then be accepted by the network [7, 9]. Once accepted, the
block will then be added onto the current BC, where the network will see the update, and the
current BC will be permanently updated and publically viewable. This process will continually
repeat itself as more transactions continue to occur over the network. One of the main concerns
however, is what exactly constitutes a valid transaction? Since the BC is essentially a group of
untrusted nodes connected on the network, there needs to be a certain set of regulations in place
to verify the legitimacy of every transaction before it is added to the BC. This commonality is
known as consensus and is the basis for a peer-to-peer managed BC system [8, 13].
When creating a BC, it is important to note that each BC client can determine the rules necessary
to decide whether an incoming transaction is valid and whether that transaction block should be
added to the network [27]. In a simplified model where each address is mapped to a public key, a
valid transaction is one that attempts to modify a value when there is a corresponding private key
signature present [7, 27]. When each node follows the steps outlined by the BC client, that block
then become an authenticated and timestamped record of the activity on the network [27]. This
system does not require that the nodes have to trust any other nodes in particular. The effect of
the system is that a trustless environment is created, with authenticity being verified by the
combined efforts of all nodes on the system rather than any individual force [6].
2.3 Consensus
With any BC client, the integrity of the transaction list is based upon the idea that each
transaction is stored on a single chain in the appropriate time order from the first to the most
current transaction. As mentioned earlier, the idea of a BC relies on the distributed consensus
that each node in the client is running off the same ledger is vital to ensuring the success of the
system. Each BC network may use a slightly different consensus mechanism to establish this
trust; however, the variability speaks towards the adaptability of the system for the different
situations that it may be adopted for [7, 9].
In an ideal situation, each node would vote on a new block as it appeared and the block with the
majority of votes cast would become the next block in the chain. However, due to the open
availability of a network, some-one could potentially create multiple accounts and flood the server
with votes for blocks that are not actually legitimate. With enough support, a person or group
could alter the BC to mislead the network into accepting a false path in the BC filled with false
transactions [7, 13].
To get around this problem, cryptocoins like bitcoin have employed rigorous validation standards
that are inherently expensive to perform [14]. Bitcoin uses the SHA-256 algorithm to secure the
transaction details, which is a one way cryptographic algorithm producing a single output given an

input string [15]. A node on the network will attempt to input a random number into algorithm
along with details from the most recent block and some transaction details such as public keys
from the sender. Should this algorithm produce an output hash with the appropriate
specifications, the block is added to the chain, the universal BC is updated across all nodes and
the miner is credited some cryptocurrency. In the case of bitcoin, the output hash must have a
certain number of trailing zeroes, which can be adjusted depending on how difficult the hash
should be to solve. This proof of work creates incentive for miners on the network to use their
computing power to verify transactions.
Different BC systems make use of other algorithms such as Scrypt in the case of Litecoin [16]
and a combination of several algorithms in the case of Myriad [17]. This adaptability of the BC
system allows for tradeoffs between speed of transactions and security without compromising the
authenticity of the network.
However, when it comes to private BCs for commercial or personal purposes, these extensive
proof of work concepts are not necessary. When dealing with a private network, when nodes are
whitelisted accordingly there is no risk of a minority attack compromising the network. This allows
other more effective methodologies to be used in order to verify the legitimacy of the BC.
One such consensus algorithm is the “Unique Node List” (UNL) system of Ripple, a
cryptocurrency designed to facilitate transactions between financial institutions [18, 27]. In the
UNL system, rather than having to query a majority of nodes on the network in order to come to a
consensus, the UNL system creates multiple subnetworks within the larger ripple system. This
means that a node needs only to query its own UNL in order to come to a consensus for the
entire network, vastly improving upon the open style traditional BC systems [27]. Regardless of
the type of consensus used, it should be noted that each miner in the network only has a small
amount of power as compared to a traditional centralized database.
2.4 Transactions on a Blockchain
When describing a typical transaction as it would take place in a financial institution it is easy to
imagine a physical account into which money can be transferred. Imagine we are looking at an
informational database with fields for “Account Holder”, “Amount” and “Asset Type”. An account
for person X which contains $100 USD would contain all the necessary information to indicate
that X has $100 in X’s account at the bank. Now if X were to transfer $10 of that to Y who has
$10 in Y’s bank account, X would write out a check with the details of X’s account and the
receiver’s account written out, along with a signed signature verifying X identity. The bank would
then verify the legitimacy of the details and we would then see X’s account decrease to $90 while
Y’s increases to $20 in the system. Despite no physical goods being traded the digital reference
to the funds was altered in the database for both parties. It is possible to get a similar result with
some improvement by using a BC which will make the transaction faster and without the need of
intermediaries [9, 27].
Cryptography is exceptionally good at facilitating these types of signed transactions, such as with
a BC network that employs a currency model of distributed digital assets. The same process can
also be used with smart contracts although they are slightly more difficult to set up and design
around.
The questions around the use of a BC arise from the breakdown of a traditional model of
database related financial service. In the transfer scenario from X to Y, the transaction must be
legitimized and concurrency must be prevented. This type of validation and transfer serves as an
integral part of the BC-based system, but how exactly bitcoins are or any other cryptocurrency
generated to begin with.
2.5 How Cryptocurrency is Formed
Like many other forms of currency, cryptocurrency derives its value from the trust of the users in
the system. Established by the United States Constitution, the United States Dollar (USD) was

originally able to be exchanged for its equivalent worth in gold at any time. This put an inherent
trust into the use of the USD as the dollar bill was backed by a tangible asset that held value.
Since 1971 however, the link between gold and the USD has been severed completely [16, 20].
Nowadays, the USD solely relies upon the trust established by the US government ensuring that
one dollar is worth exactly one dollar of bargaining power. Without getting into the specifics of fiat
currency or the logistics of the debt the United States lends out to ensure the economy continues
to grow; the of advantages of a centralized currency remain an integral part of a modern-day
society [10-12, 16].
Similar to how the USD derives value from the trust the people have in the legal backings of the
U.S. government, bitcoin and in fact all cryptocurrency derive their trust from the integral security
features of the crypto-currency [1, 2]. Much as how one physical USD is worth exactly one $1,
one bitcoin, litecoin or any other is trusted to be worth exactly one, regardless of which dollar or
coin is in possession. The difference is how this currency is controlled and introduced into the
system [10, 16, and 20].
When establishing a BC network, the permissions allowed determine the availability of resources
to be allocated across the platform. When using a network such as MultiChain [23, 27], an open
source BC platform permissions can be assigned based on based on public keys on the network.
This allows for configurations of who can connect to the network, complete transactions on the
network and issue resources across the network [27].
With bitcoin, new bitcoins are issued with each successful completion of a mined block. Each
time a mined block is accepted by the network, a transaction is then broadcasted to the network,
rewarding the successful mining node with a predetermined amount of bitcoin. The unique
benefit to a network with an agreed upon source of currency is that there is no middleman or
regulation involved once setup is complete [16]. As every node in the system has access to the
history of all the verifiable transactions, there is no need for constant regulations to occur. Once
a network is established it essentially operates in set and forget mode.
3. SMART CONTRACTS
First proposed by Nick Szabo in 1994, smart contracts are defined as “a computerized
transaction protocol that executes the terms of a contract” [21]. Originally, Szabo slated the idea
of a smart contract to translate a contractual clause, such as asset transfer into digital code and
to link physical objects with code that will self-execute in the event that certain actions are
completed [22]. This type of contract was intended to cut out the middleman needed for a
transaction between parties, helping to cut down on fraudulent and accidental occurrences, while
speeding up the transfer process in the meanwhile. With a smart contract in the BC setting, a
smart contract would be a script embedded into the BC itself. This would give each smart
contract a unique address corresponding with the block the contract is stored upon and could be
executed when a transaction occurs on the associated block. Executing a smart contract
associated with a block would allow the transaction to be seen across the network by every node
on the network, allowing the BC network to act as a distributed record of the transaction [7, 8, and
16].
Smart contracts are useful in that they allow general purpose computations to occur in tandem
with the BC. However, these smart contracts excel when they are implemented into managing
data-driven interactions between entities on the network. Additionally, the contract is visible
publically to the network [7]. As the code resides on the BC, the contract can be inspected by
every node associated with the BC as well. This bodes well with the cryptographic basis behind
the BC system as all network participants can view a secure and traceable path of each
transaction that occurs on the contract, much like how each block on the BC can be easily
verified.

A BC that supports a digital transaction is especially important as it allows transactions to occur
between parties that do not trust each other. A BC supporting smart contracts takes this notion
even further by allowing multiple interactions to occur between the mistrusted parties [27]. The
transacting parties can identify the code and terms associated with the contract and have
verifiable proof that the contract is legitimately hosted due to the constraints of the network.
Additionally, the need for each signature to be digitally signed by the correct parties promotes the
verifiability between the correct transacting parties [7, 9]. This eliminates any doubt about the
legitimacy of the terms discussed in any particular contract and proves that each party willingly
accepted the terms and conditions laid out by a smart contract before engaging with it. A smart
contract operates anonymously from any single source with the behavior and terms of the
contract being clearly viewable from the start. This proves especially important in multi-party and
multi-contract deals. With full authoritative trust being based on a single autonomous and easily
verifiable set of constraints, smart contracts can be trusted to carry out the limited scope of each
individual contract or pass along instructions to a chain of contracts as an autonomous and
trusted middleman that is not influenced by any involved party [16, 27].
Finally, another strength of the smart contract model relies on the concept of “decentralized
autonomous organizations” (DAOs) whose behavior can be modified based upon the constraints
of the contract being met [27, 29, and 32]. Such an example would be would be a series of
contracts linked together that point at a primary address with which to include in the chain of
contracts. If several financial institutions offered contracts with variable rates, a rule can be
included to point a currency exchange contract towards the address of the financial institution
offering the best rate at the given time. This contract may wind up pointing at a different address
several times in a day or even within a few seconds [10, 13].
4. BLOCKCHAIN CATEGORIZATION
A BC network’s main benefit relies on the ability of the network to be optimized for a task
according to several categories regarding the network’s usage. The most important of note is [7,
9, 23, 27, 29, and 34]:
Who can access the network? While a public network may be suitable for applications
such as bitcoin, where the currency’s strength is in its availability. The problem arises
with the security concerns and inflationary procedures that must be accounted for.
Events such as the Sybil attack [14] in the early days of bitcoin have proven that a
consensus in public networks is costly and that incentive must be given to the miners
on the system for the raw computing power they donate [27, 29]. On the flipside,
private networks offer much more control than their public counterparts. Private
networks can be whitelisted to allow on authorized parties access to the network,
ensuring a more regulated environment with a more manageable throughput that is
ideal for stakeholders of the tech.
Who can transact on a network? While a party may be able to join a network, the power
to transact, deploy smart contracts and mine blocks on the network can be whitelisted
only to verified parties [23]. This is much more practical on a private network where
only certain individuals are recognized and assigned permissions accordingly.
Transaction style model vs contract based model? BCs that support a transaction based
model are ideal for the tracking and transfer of digital assets while BCs supporting the
contract based model provide a means to run multistage processes including logical
constraints and data manipulation right on the chain. Unfortunately the main drawback
behind a contract based model becomes the speed cost at which the network
operates. A transaction style model easily identifies its inputs and outputs before
execution leading to quicker speeds and the ability to process noncompeting blocks all
at once. On the other side, having to declare the clauses of a contract and identify the
affected linked contract clauses in any associated chains, the contract based model
loses the ability to run contract blocks concurrently. Regardless of the model style
used, the BC network still provides some key benefits over the traditional system from
the start [34].

A peer to peer system that is distributed and resilient to failure at a single source.
A network that identifies conflicts and automatically routes the chain of blocks to
converge into a single designated and easily viewable path.
Trust in the verification and security afforded by the easily viewable system by which
verification is performed [32].
Eliminates the possibility of disputes as each transaction has a public record of proof.
Trustless communications through a secure source in a predictable fashion.
5. THE INTERNET OF THINGS
5.1 Overview of IoT
The Internet of Things (IoT) has had a variety of definitions over the years. They all have one
theme in common, the idea of connectivity. Broadly, IoT consists of all devices that are able to
collect data, interact with its environment, can be uniquely identifiable. All of these data collecting
devices are connected to the internet in order to share their data and interact with the user [35].
There are many components when it comes to IoT devices. Because of the lack of their
computing power and storage space, these devices need to rely more on advanced software.
Some of these components include, but are not limited to, sensor, actuator, computing software,
and network and connectivity software. All of these devices need to communicate/help each other
through a set of connectivity protocols such as HTTP/REST, MQTT, CoAP, AMQP and XMPP
[36]. These protocols all have certain standards they need to meet in order to communicate
efficiently.
Manufactures are shipping these devices to customers knowing they impose a security threat,
and software patches have shown to be cumbersome and ineffective [36]. Problematically, IoT
devices are often designed with security as an afterthought instead of as a core feature. Many
cheap devices are being sold with no security features at all. Consequentially, malicious actors
are taking advantage of these vulnerabilities to attack devices, causing damage to individuals and
companies. Other common problems arise through the negligence and quality of the devices. The
purchaser usually leaves login credentials for their devices at factory settings. This lowers the
privacy of the device as the username and password used wouldn't be strong enough. Most
company has their fixed login credentials which cannot be modified by the consumer [36].
5.2 IoT Architecture
There is an assortment of opinions on the number of layer in the architecture of IoT. However
most agree that are three primary layers which are defined by their function and the device that
they are used. A typical IoT system has three layers perception, network, and application [37].
Figure 2 illustrates three-layer IoT architecture. The perception layer gathers information from the
environment using sensors and carries out node collaboration. This layer also includes actuators
and controllers that can make actions on the environment. After the information is obtained the
perception layer transfers it to the network layer. The network layer serves in the filtering and
data transmission from different sensors. Data routing and transmission to the hub and devices
are conducted at the network layer. Switching and device routing is also a part of its function.
Technologies such as 4G, 5G, RFID, Zigbee, and Wi-Fi are employed at this layer. The
application layer is basically the finished product. It assures confidentiality, integrity and
authenticity by making sure that it’s specific to the user. Data storage and other IoT services
belong to this layer [37].Even though it may seem like a fairy simple task to achieve; there are still
obstacles to overcome. Each layer is vulnerable to threats and attacks. Some threats in the
perception layer consist of wireless signal strengths, which can be compromised by disturbing
waves. Another threat is physical attacks since IoT nodes are located in the environment they can
be tampered with. Traffic analysis and the diversity of network components/protocols have been
security concerns within the network layer. The diversity of components allows devices to
become vulnerable to DoS attacks and it also allows for manipulation of the devices [36, 37]. The
application layer lacks policies and standards regarding the interaction and development of
applications [37].

FIGURE 2: Three-Layer IoT Architecture.
6. BLOCKCHAIN AND INTERNET OF THINGS INTEGRATION
The case for a shift towards the decentralized architecture of the IoT provides some striking
similarities with the evolution of BC technology [27]. The current model of IoT technology relies
on a centralized source for all updates and communications that proves to be difficult to both
scale and maintain accordingly. The trust between the users and their IoT devices is not overly
transparent leading to issues of trust between the consumer and manufacturer as to the status of
updates and data distribution [27]. One approach to the problem has been the proposed use of a
BC system which smartly solves many of the problems with the current system [27]. When we
think about the implementations of an IoT BC network, the idea of a decentralized contractual
network comes to mind. A manufacturer would create a smart contract that allows them to store
a link to the latest firmware update on their network. The device would then connect to the BC
network either by being preprogrammed or discovering the network and would query the contract
for the latest firmware update. The link could lead to a distributed peer to peer file sharing
network, which would allow the device to then download and apply the update. The original
nodes would have to originate directly from the manufacturer; however, after a certain amount of
propagation, the manufacturer would no longer need to host the contract from their own node.
This would also ensure that older devices connecting to the network are still able to download the
updates even if the manufacturer is no longer broadcasting them [24, 25].
Taking this one step further, a payment layer could be added onto the process of distributing the
update. Some BC networks such as Filecoin [26] and EtherAPI [27] make it possible to rent file
space and accept a token of cryptocurrency in exchange for completing an information request.
Every device on the network is capable hosting their own file link’s creating a marketplace for the
associated usage fees and promoting the storage and availability of niche, outdated or custom
software.
A prime example of the marketplace for micro transactions is the facilitation and sharing of
services and property through Slock.it [28]. Slocks are electronic locks that connect to the
Ethereum BC [27, 29] through the use of smart contracts. When a person wishes to rent out their
home or other property, token can be exchanged on the Ether network that unlocks the Slock for
a certain agreed upon rental amount of time. This whole process is made simple through the use
of the Ether network as each transaction is signed and communicating on the same BC [30].

There are many cases of IoT-BC applications including smart home, smart grid, health care
energy, management systems, and supply chains.
6.1 Smart Home Case
The main motives for using IoT devices in the home are to improve safety, power efficiency and
comfort, convenience, health, and assist seniors and the disabled [36]. As IoT devices become
more prevalent in smart homes and being a trustworthy source for the people and a container for
their important data and information, it is imperative to emphasis on the security and privacy
aspects. The authors of article [38] outlined three types of threats identified by BC that affect
smart home IoT. The first threat prevents the user from accessing services. The second threat
involves the hackers attempting to identify themselves as the user. In the third threat the hacker
uses public records and transactions to become familiar with the user and his lifestyle with the
intention of impersonating the user. Weighing these risks allows us to acknowledge that principles
of cybersecurity must be in place. A proposed solution is to use BC and smart contract
technologies to counter these issues [39].
The BC approach is the decentralization of service for IoT in the smart home. BC controls and
secures the operation of smart homes. BC has three main components; transparency, security,
and privacy [39]. Cryptography is used greatly, which plays a role in authoritativeness behind any
interactions within a network [39]. If this can be included and added to IoT devices, especially
those of smart homes, then personal and sensitive data can be secured and protected [39].BC
uses several types of transactions between nodes/devices to link transactions between two
devices or customers BC uses the IL (immutable ledger) [38]. The main player in BC IoT smart
home is the miner, a resourceful stand-alone or built in device connected to control and support
the incoming and outgoing transactions and can be used to integrate the homes internet gateway.
The miner authenticates, authorizes, and provides auditability of the transactions [38]. A shared
key, under the control of the miner, takes permission from the owner and secures communication
between home devices.
IoT is incompatible with the original BC due to high bandwidth, overhead, and excessive delays
[38]. To deal with that, a lightweight BC for IoT eliminating the classic BC overhead while keeping
most of the security measures and privacy. Users can share the service their devices offer with
other houses after verification with a public and private key [39]. The authorized homes can then
share data through a public BC [39]. Also with the use of a smart contract, the home devices can
carry out commands without any other authoritarian requirements. The smart contract can be
appropriate for user behaviors with low computation costs [39].
7. DISADVANTAGES
Although the idea of a completely decentralized network seems promising, several considerations
must be taken into effect regarding the implementation of IoT technology in tandem with a BC
network [13, 27].
Compared to a traditionally configured database, a decentralized peer-to-peer BC model will
generally underperform in regard to transactions processed. This decrease in performance is
especially prevalent in publically BC networks which must employ a proof-of-work concept in
order to maintain security and promote transaction volume across the network. Although new BC
solutions which seek to solve this problem are popping up such as in the Ethereum project, the
proof-of-work mechanism is a necessary step to ensure the resilience and trustless
decentralization of the network as a whole [30, 31].
Maintaining privacy on a network also remains a complicated issue overall. As each device is
linked to a public key, each participant does not need to know the identity of every other key on
the network, only the keys of the parties with which they are interacting [27]. A user on a public
network can create a large number of public keys for each separate transaction. Since all public
keys are linked to a private key, the outward facing address can be changed with each

transaction processed in order to protect the identity behind a transaction on an account.
Unfortunately, since a new address needs to be created for each separate transaction, this
workaround may prove to be more time-consuming and resource intensive when utilized on IoT
devices [27, 38, and 39].
A main concern with the transition towards the use of smart contracts is the concept of legal
enforceability [32, 33]. While the technology exists in the digital world to verify the transactions in
real time, the legal system may be slow.
Another concern is the matter of incorrectly or poorly written smart contracts that do not perform
as expected. A smart contract set up to receive fund and distribute funds may act accordingly
until an odd amount or invalid input is received and not managed for. This may result in an
incorrect amount of funds being stored and distributed by the contract forcing an incorrect
transaction that could cost unforeseen amounts in damages [34].
Also another concern is the real-world value of the cryptocurrency market as a whole. While
fluctuations in currency prices certainly affect transactions daily, apart from depression level
swings, the fluctuations are manageable to deal with daily. In the world of cryptocurrency, the
smaller market cap value of an asset means that the real-world value of a cryptocurrency can
change quickly. This can greatly impact affected contracts [11, 16].
Finally, with the rise of IoT products comes an entire new entrance way for attackers to get to
information by using the devices to their advantage. Given the fact that these products are in a
new industry, they lack the basic framework to make them secure. These devices are susceptible
to a variety of attacks from hackers [36, 37]. An attacker can easily scan these devices, locate
open ports and take control of a device due to lack of authentication verification and framework.
An attacker can use this to steal personal information such access accounts or credit cards, or
they can even take control of the device [35, 36].
8. CONCLUSION
IoT products were made to make people’s lives easy and more comfortable, but they have had
their negative effects on security and privacy. The applications of IoT and BC as separate
technologies are broad; however, combining these technologies can prove to be very powerful.
BCs allow for resilient, truly distributed peer-to-peer networks. The distributed/decentralized
nature of a BC appears to be the perfect fit for the growing IoT. Smart contracts are useful in that
they allow general purpose computations and automation to occur in tandem with the BC. This
paper explored how BCs, smart contracts, and IoT can be used together while identifying current
implementations (smart home case) and their associated pros and cons.
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