Portguard - an authentication tool for securing ports in an IoT gateway

Internet of Things is a connected ecosystem where everyday objects have network connectivity allowing them to do data transfers. This scenario often involves a gateway for enabling the communication between things which are connected to the internet. Gateways run multiple network based services in them which are often visible to any device in the same network. It acts as the entry point for the traffic to and from the local IoT network. Usually security of such devices is neglected and left unguarded making them prime targets for hackers. Portguard is an authentication tool developed with the intention of hiding those services that are up and running in the gateway from any external attackers. Any application/middleware servers or edge/sensor nodes attempting to connect to the services in the gateway will be authenticated prior to granting access to the gateway services. We demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of portguard against popular attacks.