IG-PGFT: A secure and efficient intelligent grouping PBFT consensus algorithm for the Industrial Internet of Things

The timeliness of shared data is one of the important factors affecting efficient collaboration among smart factories (SFs). Although the blockchain-based edge computing data sharing scheme has achieved certain results in data sharing efficiency and security, the PBFT consensus algorithm widely used in the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) still faces the problems of large communication overhead, single selection of master nodes, and lack of processing of malicious nodes. In order to solve the above problems, we propose a secure and efficient intelligent grouping PBFT (IG-PBFT) consensus algorithm for the industrial internet of things. First, we design and implement the consensus group intelligent construction method, divide the simulated SF into different consensus groups, and reduce the communication overhead of the blockchain network through two consensus processes within and among the consensus groups. Then, we propose a group leader smart factory intelligent selection method, which selects a SF for each consensus group based on the trust degree of the SF, and the SF represents the consensus group to participate in the consensus among the consensus groups, which improves the security of the blockchain network. Then, we design and implement a constrained smart factory intelligent labeling method that labels SFs based on the category of SFs in the current consensus cycle to prevent constrained SFs from participating in the consensus process. Finally, we conducted simulation experiments on the IG-PBFT consensus algorithm. Through theoretical and simulation experiments, it is proven that the IG-PBFT consensus algorithm can reduce the communication overhead of the traditional PBFT consensus algorithm, improve the security of the consensus process, and have obvious advantages in the IIoT.