Enhancing LoRaWAN Security: An Advanced AES-Based Cryptographic Approach

The unique set of LoRaWAN design prerequisites, which include low power consumption, cost-effectiveness, and high scalability, requires its security protocols to be equally robust and enduring, especially since devices are often deployed for extended durations in the field. This research paper elucidates a novel cryptographic method for LoRaWAN, hinged on the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) employing a 256-bit key. The efficacy and efficiency of the proposed cryptographic solution are analyzed through a comprehensive performance evaluation. Key performance indicators include the security metric, network throughput, and energy utilization of end-devices. It was observed that augmenting the key size from 128 to 256 bits notably bolsters the resilience of LoRaWAN against various cyber attacks. The results also indicate a marginal disparity between the proposed AES256-based method and the existing AES128-based method with regards to network throughput and energy consumption. However, the enhanced security provided by the AES256 standard underscores its potential as a viable cryptographic method for LoRaWAN, providing a favorable balance between improved security and operational performance.