Dr. Daniel Gavilanes Aray, director of the Technological Center of the Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana (Iberoamerican University Foundation, FUNIBER), participates in a study that proposes a model for role-based identity authentication to ensure the protection of patient data in a medical environment.
The Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized connectivity by integrating geographically dispersed physical devices into a vast network. This facilitates applications such as smart homes, remote surveillance, smart cities and advanced healthcare systems. It is anticipated that by 2025, the number of IoT devices will reach 41.6 billion worldwide, with exponential growth in the coming years.
One prominent application of IoT is the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), which connects medical devices and applications to the healthcare system through the IoT network. Patients with cardiac, renal, neurological and chronic conditions are monitored by sensors using technologies such as ZigBee, WiFi and RFID. These devices collect vital data, providing real-time monitoring and easing the burden on medical staff.
Wearable sensors are essential for patients with chronic diseases, generating large volumes of data useful for research in various medical areas. This data can be stored in the cloud, such as Amazon Web Services, for analysis and distribution. Cloud computing is fundamental in IoMT healthcare systems, enabling efficient management of medical records and services.
IoMT security and privacy
Despite their benefits, IoMT devices present security challenges. Malicious individuals can attack the network through sensors and compromise the integrity of patient data. Blockchain technology has emerged as a solution to protect this sensitive data, ensuring its privacy and security. It also enables secure storage of data in a distributed ledger, and its use extends to fields such as medicine, transportation and agriculture.
However, managing access to medical data remains complex. Medical personnel may need different levels of access, requiring an efficient authentication and authorization system. To that end, the study proposes a role-based approach to authenticate medical users with IoMT devices, reducing the administrative burden and ensuring that only authorized users access the necessary data.
Main results of the study
To validate the effectiveness of the model, the researchers performed simulations on the Infura blockchain using Solidity and Python. The results showed that this model successfully implements role-based authorization and multi-entity authentication. The medical data owner has full control over access rights and can grant or revoke access at any time. This ensures the privacy and security of patient data, while facilitating quick and easy access to data needed for medical treatment.
Compared to existing blockchain systems that lack these features, the model exhibits minimal latency, ensuring efficient and secure access to medical data. This model offers a promising solution for authenticating role-based medical users for IoMT devices with the help of blockchain. By leveraging this technology, the model improves data privacy, security, and access control in the healthcare system.
In conclusion, this research contributes to ongoing efforts to harness the potential of IoT devices in optimizing healthcare services, while addressing the complex security challenges associated with data access and privacy.
If you want to learn more about this study, click here.
To read more research, consult the UNEATLANTICO repository.The Iberoamerican University Foundation (FUNIBER) promotes various study programs in the area of technology, such as the Master’s Degree in Strategic Management of Information Technologies. A program that develops students’ skills to propose organizational, technological, commercial and financial innovations in order to ensure competitiveness in companies. Join this technological revolution by studying our master’s degree and prepare yourself for a bright future.