SIMMS: Securing the IoT Through a Multi-Protocol Multi-Gateway System
IEEE Transactions on Emerging Topics in Computing, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.1109/tetc.2026.3681542
- Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Emerging Topics in Computing
- Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Compendex, INSPEC
- Keywords: Authentication, Authorization, BLE, HOTP, IoT, MQTT, Wi-Fi, ZigBee
- Dokuz Eylül University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
Securing the Internet of Things (IoT) is a big challenge since the emergence of the IoT. Lack of a global security standard is mainly caused by the availability of multiple modes of connectivity and heavily customized network architectures. This research introduces the Secure Multi-protocol Multi-gateway Scheme (SIMMS), a robust framework designed to enhance security in IoT setups by integrating multi-factor authentication, role-based access authorization, and data encryption across Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and ZigBee. The scheme proposes a two-layered gateway lineup: one (or more) relay gateway(s) handling communication over various protocols in the lower layer, and a main gateway organizing the dataflow on the higher level. Utilizing MQTT, SIMMS supports dynamic token changes and incorporates QR code-based secret transmissions alongside HMAC-based one-time passwords (HOTP) to ensure privacy and access authorization. Our prototype, with ESP32 modules, Raspberry Pi, and a PC-based identity server, demonstrates the framework's practicality and effectiveness. Performance evaluations confirm that SIMMS maintains message reliability and network performance, as throughputs remain higher than 100 kbps for BLE and 1 kbps for ZigBee. Overall, SIMMS offers a flexible, scalable security solution that greatly enhances the security capabilities of IoT systems.