NFC Smart Poster Address Security via Dynamic Counter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current smart poster systems lack adequate security measures to prevent unauthorized reuse of addresses and ensure data authenticity, leading to potential tampering and misuse.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a counter value and identifier value into the server address, along with a message authentication code, which changes with each use, and using digital signatures to ensure unique access and limit data access when a threshold is reached, while the mobile device verifies the server's authenticity through hashed encrypted counter values.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a static address is provided to the mobile device, then the ease of operation is improved, but the security is worsened due to potential address reuse and unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by transforming the static server address into a dynamic address that changes with each access. The address now includes a counter value that increments with each read access to the NFC device, ensuring that the address is unique for each transaction. This prevents unauthorized reuse of the address while maintaining ease of operation through automatic counter management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the address structure to include variable parameters (counter value and message authentication code) instead of a fixed static address. The counter value parameter changes with each access, and the message authentication code parameter dynamically validates the server's authenticity, thereby enhancing security without complicating the user interaction.
2Reliability
If digital signatures and message authentication codes are implemented, then the data authenticity is improved, but the device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the intermediary principle by introducing a message authentication code as a mediator between the server and the mobile device. The message authentication code serves as a verification token that proves the server's authenticity without requiring the mobile device to implement complex verification algorithms. This intermediary mechanism ensures data authenticity while keeping the device complexity manageable.
3Reliability
If the counter value is incremented with each access, then the security against address reuse is improved, but the loss of information is worsened when the threshold is reached
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining a threshold value for the counter during system setup. This threshold determines the maximum number of times the server address can be accessed. By establishing this limit in advance, the system prevents unlimited access while maintaining security through counter incrementation. The threshold mechanism ensures that once the predetermined number of accesses is reached, further access is automatically blocked, preventing information loss or misuse.
Data Source
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AI summary
A smart poster system is provided, which includes a smart poster comprising an NFC device, a mobile device for communicating with the NFC device, and a server unit for providing content to the mobile device, wherein the NFC device is arranged to provide the mobile device with an address of the server unit, the address comprising a counter value, which counter value represents the number of executed read accesses to the NFC device. Also, a method for providing a secure communication channel between a mobile device and a server unit in a smart poster system is conceived, wherein the smart poster system comprises an NFC device for providing the mobile device with an address of the server unit, and wherein the NFC device, upon generating the address, incorporates a counter value into the address, the counter value representing the number of executed read accesses to the NFC device. Thereby, the authenticity of both the NFC device and the server unit is ensured.