Firmware Encryption and Obfuscation for IoT Security Exploring advanced encryption and obfuscation techniques to protect sensitive firmware code and prevent reverse engineering and code tampering

Firmware security is of utmost importance in ensuring the overall security and integrity of IoT devices. With the increasing adoption of IoT devices in various domains, concerns about potential security vulnerabilities have grown. Firmware, as the embedded software in these devices' hardware, holds critical instructions and configurations that control their functionality. This paper highlights the significance of firmware security and the challenges posed by reverse engineering and code tampering.To address these challenges, researchers have proposed various techniques, including encryption and obfuscation. Encryption schemes, such as symmetric and asymmetric key encryption, ensure the confidentiality and integrity of firmware by making it difficult for unauthorized individuals to access or modify the code. Hash functions are used to verify the integrity of the firmware by producing a fixed-length hash value that changes if the firmware is tampered with. In addition, advanced techniques like homomorphic encryption and secure multi-party computation provide an extra layer of security by allowing computations on encrypted data without decryption. Standardized security measures and best practices for firmware protection are lacking, leading to inconsistencies in implementation across IoT devices. The complexity and diversity of firmware, coupled with resource-constrained and heterogeneous IoT environments, further complicate firmware security efforts. This paper also emphasizes the importance of firmware updates and patches, which require robust mechanisms for secure delivery and installation to address vulnerabilities. Formal verification techniques ensure the integrity and authenticity of firmware updates.Through a comprehensive literature review, this article provides insights into firmware security fundamentals and encryption techniques for IoT devices. It highlights the vulnerabilities posed by reverse engineering and code tampering and proposes effective solutions to mitigate these risks. By implementing these firmware security measures, IoT devices can protect their sensitive code and data, ensuring the trustworthiness of the devices and the overall security of the IoT ecosystem.

کلیدواژه ها:

Firmware security ، IoT devices ، encryption techniques ، reverse engineering ، code tampering ، hash functions ، firmware updates ، obfuscation techniques ، IoT security