Designing low-power encryption algorithms for end-to-end vehicular data protection in sustainable IoT networks

The rapid proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT) in intelligent transportation systems has revolutionized vehicular communication by enabling real-time data exchange between vehicles, infrastructure, and cloud services. However, high mobility and dynamic network topologies result in increased energy consumption and heightened vulnerability to data breaches. To address these challenges, this research proposes an efficient low-power encryption framework for cluster-based Internet of Vehicles (IoV), designed to ensure end-to-end vehicular data protection while minimizing energy usage within sustainable IoT networks. The proposed model introduces a block cipher–based Scalable Ant Colony Optimized PRESENT (SACO-PRESENT) encryption scheme for secure data communication and energy-efficient path optimization. A Scalable Ant Colony Optimization (SACO) algorithm is employed to optimize clustering and adaptive link selection within an enhanced AODV routing protocol. This optimization enables the selection of energy-efficient communication paths based on residual energy, node mobility, and signal strength, thereby extending network lifetime. To ensure user privacy and identity authentication, the system incorporates lightweight symmetric encryption and anonymous trust authentication protocols, providing strong security without compromising the performance of resource-constrained devices. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed model significantly improves key performance metrics achieving a higher packet delivery ratio (93.88 %), reduced end-to-end delay, lower energy consumption, and an overall extension of network lifetime. Overall, the proposed framework delivers a scalable, low-power, and secure solution for vehicular communication, contributing to the advancement of resilient and sustainable IoT-based intelligent transportation systems.