Sensor-Based Entropy Source Analysis and Validation for Use in IoT Environments

The IoT market has grown significantly in recent years, and it is estimated that it will continue to do so. For this reason, the need to identify new solutions to ensure security is vital for the future development in this field. Inadequate sources of entropy are one of the factors that negatively influence security. In this study, inspired by NIST’s latest entropy estimation recommendations, we proposed a methodology for analyzing and validating a sensor-based entropy source, highlighted by an innovative experiment design. Moreover, the proposed solution is analyzed in terms of resistance to multiple types of attacks. Following an analysis of the influence of sensor characteristics and settings on the entropy rate, we obtain a maximum entropy value of 0.63 per bit, and a throughput of 3.12 Kb/s, even when no motion is applied on the sensors. Our results show that a stable and resistant entropy source can be built based on the data obtained from the sensors. Our assessment of the proposed entropy source also achieves a higher complexity than previous studies, in terms of the variety of approached situations and the types of the performed experiments.