Securing Connected Systems: A Layered Security Framework for WSNs, IoT/CPS, and Virtualized Networks
This work unifies three security domains — wireless sensor networks (WSNs), IoT/cyber-physical systems (CPS), and virtualized infrastructure (SDN/NFV) — into a single attack surface model. A common threat taxonomy is established spanning the physical/device, network/routing, and orchestration/virtualization strata. Cryptographic defenses are examined across classical, lightweight, and post-quantum schemes, with attention to resource-constrained deployment environments. The analysis incorporates three implementation case studies drawn from 2023–2026 literature and evaluates layered defense strategies for each architectural tier.
Context
Modern connected infrastructure spans three converging attack surfaces:
- Wireless sensor networks — resource-constrained nodes in physical environments
- IoT / cyber-physical systems — embedded devices with direct physical-world consequences
- Virtualized networks (SDN/NFV) — orchestration layers where logical control is centralized
Each domain has its own security literature. This work builds a unified model across all three, establishing a common threat taxonomy and a coherent defense stack.
What the Paper Covers
Unified Threat Taxonomy
Maps attack vectors across the physical/device, network/routing, and orchestration/virtualization strata into a single model — enabling cross-domain threat analysis that siloed literature typically misses.
Cryptographic Defense Analysis
Surveys classical, lightweight, and post-quantum cryptographic schemes with attention to which approaches are viable under the resource constraints typical of WSN and IoT deployments.
Implementation Case Studies
Three case studies drawn from recent (2023–2026) literature evaluate how layered defense strategies perform in each architectural tier.
Why It Matters (Portfolio Angle)
This research reflects how I approach complex systems:
- model the full attack surface before proposing defenses
- reason across tiers (device → network → orchestration)
- evaluate deployment constraints before recommending cryptographic schemes
- anchor analysis in implementation evidence, not theory alone
The framing connects directly to enterprise security engineering and AI governance concerns — where system boundaries and trust models matter as much as individual controls.
Citation (APA 7)
Palayil, A. B. (2026). Securing Connected Systems: A Layered Security Framework for WSNs, IoT/CPS, and Virtualized Networks (Version 1.0) [Technical report]. Engineering-to-Research Monograph Series, Vol. 1. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20733453