Enhancing IoT blockchain scalability through the eepos consensus algorithm

Abstract

The integration of blockchain technology with the Internet of Things (IoT) introduces significant scalability, energy efficiency, and security challenges, particularly when using traditional consensus mechanisms like Proof of Work (PoW). IoT networks generate vast amounts of data while operating under resource constraints, necessitating the development of consensus algorithms that balance energy efficiency, transaction throughput, and security. Addressing these challenges is critical for the sustainable adoption of blockchain in IoT ecosystems. This research aims to enhance blockchain scalability and performance in IoT environments through the development of the Enhanced Efficient Proof of Stake (EePoS) consensus algorithm. The objective is to provide a framework that optimizes validator selection, minimizes energy consumption, and ensures robust security against common blockchain threats. The proposed method employs a multi-layered architecture, selective validation, and a behavior-aware penalty-reward system to ensure efficient consensus. Key security metrics, including Probability of Successful Attack (PSA) and Forking Rate (FR), were evaluated to demonstrate the algorithm’s resilience. EePoS reduces PSA by dynamically adjusting validator selection based on stake, behavior, and transaction load while decreasing FR through cluster-based voting and hierarchical aggregation. Experimental results demonstrated 20% lower PSA, 30% reduced FR, and 8% faster consensus time compared to ePoS. Throughput improved to 296 TPS while reducing CPU and memory utilization, ensuring robust performance for resource-constrained IoT networks. The novelty of this work lies in the tailored enhancements to the PoS framework, specifically designed for IoT constraints, making EePoS a scalable, energy-efficient, and secure solution for IoT blockchain integration.