Abstract
Smart cities have witnessed a transformation in urban living through the Internet of Things (IoT), which has improved connectedness, efficiency, and sustainability. However, the adoption of IoT devices presents significant security vulnerabilities, particularly in authentication. The specific limitations of IoT contexts, such as constrained computational resources, are frequently not adequately addressed by traditional authentication techniques. The existing methods of authentication used for IoT devices in smart cities are critically examined in this review study. We evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each mechanism, emphasizing real-world applicability. Additionally, we examine cutting-edge developments that offer improved security and scalability, such as blockchain technology, biometric authentication, and machine learning-based solutions. This study aims to identify gaps and propose future research directions to develop robust authentication frameworks that protect user privacy and data integrity.