NFC Communication via Security Element for TEE Isolation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing NFC communication methods in smart terminals face security risks due to insecure data interaction between Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) applications and NFC devices, and increase complexity by requiring additional NFC virtual drives and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A new communication architecture using a Security Element (SE) as a communication medium between TEE applications and NFC devices, employing a host controller interface (HCI) based on single wire protocol (SWP) to establish and manage communication channels, ensuring secure data transmission without modifying the original NFC drive or REE core.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If NFC function is realized through service proxy in REE, then TEE applications can access NFC function, but data security is compromised due to interaction through insecure REE
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a security element (SE) as an intermediary component between the TEE application and the NFC device. The SE acts as a trusted mediator that handles NFC communication protocols and data transmission, ensuring that sensitive data remains within the secure boundary of the SE and TEE, while still enabling NFC functionality for TEE applications.
2Adaptability or versatility
If NFC drive is set in TEE with NFC protocol stack, then NFC ability is provided to TEE applications, but system complexity increases due to additional NFC virtual drive and maintenance requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the NFC protocol stack implementation from the TEE environment and relocates it to the security element (SE). This extraction removes the complexity burden from the TEE system while maintaining NFC functionality. The SE independently handles NFC protocol processing, eliminating the need for NFC virtual drives and reducing maintenance requirements for the overall system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables secure execution of TEE applications by isolating data interaction through a trusted environment, reducing complexity and maintenance requirements, while maintaining compatibility with existing NFC functions and architectures.
Implementation Method 1
Near field communication (NFC) is a short-range wireless communication technology, which is based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and uses magnetic filed induction to realize a short-range communication between smart terminals.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides communication method and apparatus based on NFC, and in particular, to communication method and apparatus based on NFC in a security element (SE), a communication method based on NFC in a smart terminal, a security element and a smart terminal. The invention proposes a new way of connection with the NFC device so that the TEE applications can have NFC ability.