USING BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE SECURITY IN THE DISTRIBUTED INTERNET OF THINGS

The rapid development of information technologies increasingly focuses on building distributed systems, in particular the Internet of Things (IoT), which integrates billions of devices into a single global infrastructure. However, the large-scale adoption of IoT is accompanied by growing cybersecurity risks, since traditional centralized approaches to data storage and processing often prove to be vulnerable to attacks, manipulations, or equipment failures. In this context, the use of blockchain technology is gaining increasing attention. Owing to its key features –decentralization, transparency, and immutability of data –blockchain provides new opportunities to enhance security in distributed IoT environments. The article addresses the problem of information protection in IoT systems and analyzes major threats such as unauthorized access, data tampering, leakage of sensitive information, and DDoS attacks. Particular attentionis given to how the integration of blockchain can minimize these risks through decentralized access management, device authentication, and secure storage and transmission of data. The use of smart contracts for automating interaction processes between IoT nodes is also examined,highlighting how they foster trust among participants and reduce the need for intermediaries. The findings suggest that combining IoT withblockchain technology creates the foundation for secure and resilient distributed systems that are resistant to malicious activities. Practical applications include smart cities, industrial IoT, healthcare, and energy management. At the same time, the paper outlines key challenges related to scalability, transaction latency, and energy consumption. Future research directions include optimizing consensus protocols, exploring hybrid architectures, and designing specialized blockchain solutions tailored to IoT environments.