Comparative Study of Blockchain Hashing Algorithms with a Proposal for HashLEA

Blockchain has several unique features: data integrity, security, privacy, and immutability. For this reason, it is considered one of the most promising new technologies for a wide range of applications. Initially prominent in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, its applications have expanded into are...

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Main Authors: Abdullah Sevin, Abdu Ahmed Osman Mohammed
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Applied Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/24/11967
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author Abdullah Sevin
Abdu Ahmed Osman Mohammed
author_facet Abdullah Sevin
Abdu Ahmed Osman Mohammed
author_sort Abdullah Sevin
collection DOAJ
description Blockchain has several unique features: data integrity, security, privacy, and immutability. For this reason, it is considered one of the most promising new technologies for a wide range of applications. Initially prominent in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, its applications have expanded into areas such as the Internet of Things. However, integrating blockchain into IoT systems is challenging due to the limited computing and storage capabilities of IoT devices. Efficient blockchain mining requires lightweight hash functions that balance computational complexity with resource constraints. In this study, we employed a structured methodology to evaluate hash functions for blockchain–IoT systems. Initially, a survey is conducted to identify the most commonly used hash functions in such environments. Also, this study identifies and evaluates a lightweight hash function, designated as HashLEA, for integration within blockchain-based IoT systems. Subsequently, these functions are implemented and evaluated using software coded in C and Node.js, thereby ensuring compatibility and practical applicability. Performance metrics, including software efficiency, hardware implementation, energy consumption, and security assessments, were conducted and analyzed. Ultimately, the most suitable hash functions, including HashLEA for blockchain–IoT applications, are discussed, striking a balance between computational efficiency and robust cryptographic properties. Also, the HashLEA hash function is implemented on a Raspberry Pi 4 with an ARM processor to assess its performance in a real-world blockchain–IoT environment. HashLEA successfully passes security tests, achieving a near-ideal avalanche effect, uniform hash distribution, and low standard deviation. It has been shown to demonstrate superior execution time performance, processing 100 KB messages in 0.157 ms and 10 MB messages in 15.48 ms, which represents a significant improvement in execution time over other alternatives such as Scrypt, X11, and Skein.
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spelling doaj-art-96a1d3900960438e9f4c794777d9641b2024-12-27T14:08:56ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172024-12-0114241196710.3390/app142411967Comparative Study of Blockchain Hashing Algorithms with a Proposal for HashLEAAbdullah Sevin0Abdu Ahmed Osman Mohammed1Department of Computer Engineering, Sakarya University, 54050 Serdivan, Sakarya, TurkeyDepartment of Computer Engineering, Sakarya University, 54050 Serdivan, Sakarya, TurkeyBlockchain has several unique features: data integrity, security, privacy, and immutability. For this reason, it is considered one of the most promising new technologies for a wide range of applications. Initially prominent in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, its applications have expanded into areas such as the Internet of Things. However, integrating blockchain into IoT systems is challenging due to the limited computing and storage capabilities of IoT devices. Efficient blockchain mining requires lightweight hash functions that balance computational complexity with resource constraints. In this study, we employed a structured methodology to evaluate hash functions for blockchain–IoT systems. Initially, a survey is conducted to identify the most commonly used hash functions in such environments. Also, this study identifies and evaluates a lightweight hash function, designated as HashLEA, for integration within blockchain-based IoT systems. Subsequently, these functions are implemented and evaluated using software coded in C and Node.js, thereby ensuring compatibility and practical applicability. Performance metrics, including software efficiency, hardware implementation, energy consumption, and security assessments, were conducted and analyzed. Ultimately, the most suitable hash functions, including HashLEA for blockchain–IoT applications, are discussed, striking a balance between computational efficiency and robust cryptographic properties. Also, the HashLEA hash function is implemented on a Raspberry Pi 4 with an ARM processor to assess its performance in a real-world blockchain–IoT environment. HashLEA successfully passes security tests, achieving a near-ideal avalanche effect, uniform hash distribution, and low standard deviation. It has been shown to demonstrate superior execution time performance, processing 100 KB messages in 0.157 ms and 10 MB messages in 15.48 ms, which represents a significant improvement in execution time over other alternatives such as Scrypt, X11, and Skein.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/24/11967blockchaininternet of thingshash functionsecurity testsperformance analysis
spellingShingle Abdullah Sevin
Abdu Ahmed Osman Mohammed
Comparative Study of Blockchain Hashing Algorithms with a Proposal for HashLEA
Applied Sciences
blockchain
internet of things
hash function
security tests
performance analysis
title Comparative Study of Blockchain Hashing Algorithms with a Proposal for HashLEA
title_full Comparative Study of Blockchain Hashing Algorithms with a Proposal for HashLEA
title_fullStr Comparative Study of Blockchain Hashing Algorithms with a Proposal for HashLEA
title_full_unstemmed Comparative Study of Blockchain Hashing Algorithms with a Proposal for HashLEA
title_short Comparative Study of Blockchain Hashing Algorithms with a Proposal for HashLEA
title_sort comparative study of blockchain hashing algorithms with a proposal for hashlea
topic blockchain
internet of things
hash function
security tests
performance analysis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/24/11967
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