Blockchain-Based Secure Data Routing Framework for U.S. Industrial Communication Networks

Abstract

This study addresses the growing cybersecurity problem associated with secure data routing in increasingly interconnected U.S. industrial communication networks, where centralized authentication, route manipulation, unauthorized node participation, data tampering, and limited routing traceability can threaten the reliability and security of Industrial Control Systems, SCADA, Operational Technology, and Industrial Internet of Things environments. The purpose of the research was to develop and empirically evaluate a blockchain-based secure data routing framework that integrates decentralized authentication, data integrity, routing traceability, and decentralized trust and consensus to strengthen industrial communication security. A quantitative, cross-sectional, case-study-based design was adopted, focusing on enterprise and industrial cases across U.S. manufacturing, energy and utilities, oil and gas, process industries, transportation, and related infrastructure environments. The study analyzed 312 valid responses from industrial and network engineers, cybersecurity and OT security specialists, ICS/SCADA engineers, automation and IIoT engineers, and technical managers, representing an 89.1% usable response rate. The key variables were Blockchain-Based Decentralized Authentication, Blockchain-Enabled Data Integrity, Blockchain-Based Routing Traceability, Decentralized Trust and Consensus, and Secure Industrial Data Routing. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha reliability testing, Pearson correlation, ANOVA, and multiple regression modeling. Findings showed strong respondent agreement for decentralized authentication (M = 4.08), data integrity (M = 4.15), routing traceability (M = 4.03), decentralized trust and consensus (M = 4.11), and secure industrial data routing (M = 4.18). Data integrity demonstrated the strongest correlation with secure routing (r = .72, p < .001), followed by decentralized trust (r = .70), authentication (r = .68), and routing traceability (r = .61). The regression model explained 68.0% of SIDR variance, R² = .680, F (4,307) = 163.10, p < .001, with data integrity emerging as the strongest predictor (β = .29), followed by decentralized trust (β = .26), authentication (β = .24), and traceability (β = .21). The findings imply that U.S. industrial organizations can strengthen routing security by integrating blockchain as a verification, integrity, accountability, and distributed-trust layer aligned with Zero Trust principles.