Distributed zero trust architecture based on policy negotiation secured by DPP in blockchain

Abstract

Distributed policy negotiation is a key issue in modern manufacturing landscapes. However, existing solutions struggle with ensuring efficient policy negotiation and enforcement across entities while maintaining device authentication and trust in dynamic, cross-organizational environments. Specifically, the reliance on distributed architectures introduces challenges related to scalability, data fairness, and implementation complexity, limiting its applicability in large-scale industrial networks. This paper provides an overview of foundational concepts critical to understanding the proposed distributed policy consensus with blockchain integration: the proposed architecture leverages the decentralized and immutable nature of blockchain to achieve secure and transparent consensus among the distributed policy engines (PE), addressing challenges in policy negotiation within a distributed zero trust architecture (ZTA). The proposed methodology is applied in the context of a multinational supply chain network, involving various stakeholders such as manufacturers, suppliers, logistics providers, distributors, and retailers. The methodology provides a scalable foundation for advancing secure cross-company interactions in increasingly interconnected systems.