Enhancing Security at the Intersection of IoT and the Metaverse: A Comprehensive Framework with Federated Learning, Blockchain, and Explainable AI

The synergistic growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the metaverse has unlocked unprecedented opportunities for digital innovation, virtual economies, and immersive interactions, yet it introduces complex cybersecurity challenges, including privacy breaches, advanced cyberattacks, data and system heterogeneity, and infrastructure vulnerabilities. Through a critical analysis and synthesis of existing research, this study proposes an integrated, interdisciplinary framework to secure the IoT-metaverse convergence. Leveraging decentralized data processing, secure and transparent record-keeping, explainable decision-making, and advanced data protection mechanisms, the framework aims to create a secure, scalable, and human-centric digital ecosystem that ensures user trust and compliance with global privacy standards. Designed for diverse applications, such as smart cities, digital healthcare, and interactive virtual platforms, it addresses research gaps, including the lack of integrated and user-centric solutions. The analysis suggests that this approach significantly enhances the security, efficiency, and sustainability of digital ecosystems. Future directions include harnessing emerging technologies like next-generation networks, improving decision-making transparency, and validating the framework in operational real-world environments to advance secure and sustainable digital ecosystems.

کلیدواژه ها:

Internet of Things (IoT) ، Metaverse ، Cybersecurity ، Federated Learning (FL) ، Blockchain Technology