Applications of IoT in Smart Cities: Communication Protocols and Security Challenges

Abstract

The development of smart cities has been fueled by the Internet of Things (IoT), which has improved public services, resource efficiency, and the quality of life for citizens. Real-time data collection and automation are made possible by IoT in vital industries including public safety, healthcare, energy, and transportation. The efficiency, scalability, and applicability of several key IoT communication protocols—such as LPWAN, Zigbee, BLE, 5G, NB-IoT, and LoRaWAN—for urban applications are examined in this analysis. The report also identifies key privacy and security issues, including denial-of-service attacks, illegal access, and data breaches. In order to tackle these issues, it looks at a number of cybersecurity strategies, such as intrusion detection systems, encryption, and authentication, that are meant to safeguard vital infrastructure and guarantee safe data transfer in smart city settings.

Introduction: Urban environments have transformed into smart cities, where networked gadgets maximize resources, improve public services, and raise general quality of life, thanks in large part to the Internet of Things' (IoT) rapid advancement (Omrany et al., 2024). In a variety of industries, including public safety, energy management, healthcare, transportation, and environmental monitoring, IoT enables intelligent automation, real-time data collecting, and effective decision-making (Haque, Bhushan, & Dhiman, 2021). However, strong communication protocols and efficient security measures are necessary for the successful deployment of IoT in smart cities in order to guarantee uninterrupted connectivity and data protection (Alsubhi, 2024).

Objectives: The purpose of this essay is to examine how the Internet of Things (IoT) contributes to the creation of smart cities, with a focus on raising urban living standards, optimizing resources, and enhancing public services. It examines the effectiveness, scalability, and applicability of several IoT communication protocols, including LPWAN, Zigbee, BLE, 5G, NB-IoT, and LoRaWAN, for a range of urban applications. The report lists the main privacy and security issues that endanger the infrastructure of smart cities, such as denial-of-service assaults, illegal access, and data leaks. In order to solve these problems, it also looks at cybersecurity solutions such intrusion detection systems, encryption, and authentication. The goal is to offer information that facilitates the safe and effective deployment of IoT devices in intelligent urban settings.

Methods: A qualitative study of the body of research on IoT applications in smart cities is used in this review paper. Important communication protocols such LPWAN, Zigbee, BLE, 5G, NB-IoT, and LoRaWAN were evaluated by looking at peer-reviewed papers, technical reports, and industry standards. Their appropriateness, scalability, and performance were evaluated through comparative analysis. Furthermore, case studies and current research concentrating on intrusion detection, authentication, and encryption methods for smart city IoT systems were used to identify security concerns and responses.

Results: For smooth data sharing, smart cities depend on effective IoT communication protocols. According to studies, 5G and LPWAN provide low-power real-time applications including emergency response and traffic control. Interoperability is improved via standard protocols like MQTT, CoAP, and HTTP, while connectivity and integration between various urban systems and services are improved by hybrid techniques.

Conclusions: For IoT integration in smart cities to be successful, this review emphasizes the significance of standardized, interoperable communication protocols. LPWAN and 5G are two examples of protocols that make low-power, effective connectivity possible. Addressing security issues like system flaws and data breaches is still crucial, though. The adoption of smart cities must be safe and scalable, which requires sophisticated technologies like federated learning and strong encryption.