An AI-based blockchain framework with AES–RSA hybrid encryption for secure data sharing in smart environments

Abstract

The rapid growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) and smart environments has led to an unprecedented increase in the storage and communication of heterogeneous and sensitive data, creating significant challenges in ensuring confidentiality, integrity, privacy, trust, and secure data sharing. Although blockchain, cryptography, and artificial intelligence (AI) have demonstrated potential for addressing these challenges, existing approaches often employ these technologies separately, limiting their ability to provide intelligent, scalable, and comprehensive security. This study proposes an AI-driven blockchain framework integrated with AES–RSA hybrid encryption for secure data sharing in smart environments. Lightweight AI models are employed to classify heterogeneous files and detect anomalous activities before encryption and blockchain registration. AES is used for efficient data encryption, while RSA provides secure encryption and distribution of AES session keys. Blockchain technology is employed to support decentralized integrity verification, traceability, trusted data management, and immutable auditing. The proposed framework was empirically evaluated using heterogeneous datasets containing files of different sizes and types. The experimental results achieved an average encryption time of 1.68 ms, an average decryption time of 0.63 ms, and an average blockchain verification time of 2.75 ms. The anomaly detection model achieved an accuracy of 99%, while blockchain-based integrity verification achieved 100%. Comparative analysis demonstrated that the proposed framework provides an improved balance between cryptographic protection, decentralized trust, intelligent threat detection, and computational overhead. The results indicate that the proposed AI-driven blockchain framework with AES–RSA hybrid encryption provides a scalable and reliable approach for secure heterogeneous data sharing in IoT-enabled smart environments. The integration of AI, hybrid cryptography, and blockchain enhances security and intelligent decision-making while maintaining computational efficiency, supporting its potential for next-generation cybersecurity applications.