Semi-quantum batch anonymous authentication protocol for power internet of things

Authentication in the Power Internet of Things (PIoT) presents significant security challenges due to the massive number of devices and the complexity of the communication environment. Existing authentication schemes suffer from noticeable limitations in both security and efficiency: Some lack the capability for batch authentication, resulting in low performance, while others pose security risks that hinder practical deployment. To address these issues, this paper proposes a dedicated batch authentication framework tailored for PIoT scenarios. By incorporating edge servers and blockchain technology, the framework significantly enhances system scalability. Based on this architecture, a novel anonymous authentication protocol is designed by combining classical and semi-quantum communication. The protocol leverages Bell states for quantum state transmission to strengthen security. Security analysis shows that the protocol effectively resists various types of attacks and demonstrates strong robustness under noisy conditions. Performance evaluation indicates that the proposed scheme achieves superior efficiency and security compared with existing approaches. It supports parallel batch authentication without requiring pre-shared keys. Comparative analysis with conventional protocols confirms the protocol’s strong applicability in PIoT environments.