Blockchain-Based Secure Communication for Space Information Networks

Space information networks (SINs) can be viewed as an expansion of a conventional network with a strong demand for high-speed, reliable, and real-time wireless communication, especially in extreme circumstances. However, there are a number of challenges associated with deploying SINs. With the emergence and wide application of blockchain technology, it is expected to relieve the trust issues of communication systems in SINs. In this article, we first propose a decentralized blockchain architecture for SINs, taking advantage of the increasing computation and communication capabilities of satellites. Then, by utilizing blockchain, we present two communication protocols, Fulgor and Rayo, designed for different application scenarios in SINs: Fulgor is a secure communication protocol between users and the ground station based on our proposed efficient authentication and key agreement protocol. Rayo is a user-to-user priva-cy-preserving communication protocol to protect the user's privacy and avoid DoS attacks. Finally, experiments are conducted and performed on a widely known blockchain platform, Hyperledger Fabric, and the findings demonstrate our proposal's feasibility.