Ambient Power Device Signaling With Query-Specific Security Keys
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ambient power wireless devices lack persistent memory capabilities, making it challenging to ensure secure and efficient communications, as they cannot store authentication and security information between transmissions.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where ambient power wireless devices generate a query-specific transient security key using a master security key, a random number, and an identifier to encrypt and authenticate messages on a per-query basis, ensuring each transmission is uniquely secured and authenticated.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ambient power wireless devices use traditional authentication methods with stored security credentials, then security can be maintained, but the device complexity and memory requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by establishing a secure channel setup phase before actual data transmission. During this phase, the server and device exchange and store necessary security parameters (server public key, device identifier, algorithm identifier) that will be used for subsequent authentication. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for the device to store multiple authentication credentials, as all security operations are performed using these pre-configured parameters combined with transient random values.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary approach where the server acts as a trusted mediator that holds the master private key and performs the computationally intensive cryptographic operations. The device only needs to store minimal parameters and generate simple random values, while the server handles the complex key derivation and verification. This intermediary role of the server reduces the security burden on the resource-constrained device without compromising overall system security.
2Reliability
If ambient power wireless devices generate unique security keys for each transmission, then replay attacks are prevented, but the computational complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication process is segmented into distinct phases: setup phase (storing static parameters), authentication phase (generating transient values), and verification phase (comparing results). The security key generation is segmented into server-side operations (using master private key) and device-side operations (using simple random value generation and XOR operations). This segmentation allows the device to perform only simple operations while achieving strong replay attack protection through the combination of static parameters and transient random values.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes parameters dynamically during authentication by using different random values (first and second random values) for each authentication attempt. The security parameter is transformed from a static stored credential into a dynamic value derived from combining static parameters with transient random values. This parameter change approach ensures uniqueness for each transmission without requiring complex computational operations on the device side.
3Reliability
If ambient power wireless devices implement robust security protocols, then communication security is enhanced, but the power consumption and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The security implementation is made dynamic by using transient random values that change with each authentication attempt, rather than relying on static stored credentials. The device dynamically generates random values and combines them with pre-stored parameters to create unique security signatures for each transmission. This dynamic approach enhances security against replay attacks while keeping the actual computational operations simple and power-efficient on the device side.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs cheap, short-living security objects in the form of transient random values that are generated for each authentication attempt and then discarded. These disposable random values provide strong security protection without requiring the device to maintain or protect complex long-term security credentials. The server handles the more computationally intensive operations, allowing the device to use simple, low-power cryptographic operations.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure provides methods, components, devices and systems for secure signaling techniques for ambient power devices. Some aspects more specifically relate to security and authentication for communications with one or more ambient power wireless devices. For example, when a query for data is received from another device, an ambient power wireless device may generate a random number that specific to that query. The query may include another random number and the ambient power wireless device may generate a transient key (for example, a security key) using both random numbers, a master security key, and an identifier (for example, a medium access control (MAC) address) associated with the ambient power wireless device. The transient key is specific to the received query and may be used to encrypt and/or provide message integrity check (MIC) bits for a message that includes the requested data and is sent in response to the query.