Product Authentication System Using Segmented Electronic Labels
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing prevalence of counterfeit goods, particularly in products with Designation of Origin or Protected Geographical Indication, necessitates a more secure and effective method for verifying product authenticity, especially in garments, beverages, food, and furnishings, to ensure consumers receive genuine items.
Innovation Solution
A system that associates each product with an electronic identification device featuring a unique identification code and encrypted product information, utilizing encryption keys stored on a secure server or locally on a verification device, allowing for secure authentication and transactions, and enabling sharing on social networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an electronic label containing product data is associated with each product for authentication, then product verification capability is improved, but system security is worsened due to vulnerability to counterfeiting
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication system divides the identification data into two separate components: an identification code stored in the electronic label and a corresponding encryption key stored securely on the verification device or server. This segmentation ensures that possession of the label alone is insufficient for authentication, as the verification requires both the code and its matching key, thereby preventing counterfeiting while maintaining verification capability.
2Reliability
If encryption keys are stored on a secure server, then authentication security is improved, but system complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary authentication server that mediates between the electronic labels and verification devices. The server stores encryption keys securely and performs the authentication process by matching codes with keys, thereby centralizing security management and simplifying the architecture compared to distributed key storage while maintaining high security standards.
3Speed
If encryption keys are stored locally on verification device, then authentication speed is improved, but security is worsened due to key exposure risk
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the authentication credentials by storing the identification code in the electronic label and the encryption key in the verification device. This segmentation allows local verification for speed while maintaining security through the one-way function relationship between code and key, where the key cannot be derived from the code even if the code is exposed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces traditional symmetric encryption with a one-way function-based authentication mechanism. Instead of using reversible encryption that requires secure key management, the system uses hash functions or similar one-way transformations where the identification code is transformed into a verification value that cannot be reversed, eliminating the need to store sensitive keys in the verification device while maintaining fast local authentication.
Data Source
AI summary
Authentication method to verify the authenticity of products, including associating to each product an electronic identification device having a unique identification code, selecting at least one piece of product information suitable to describe the product, associating to each identification code at least one respective and unique encryption key, encrypting the identification code and the product information, storing the encrypted content in the memory of the electronic identification device, obtaining the identification code and the encrypted content from the electronic identification device, decrypting the encrypted identification code using the encryption key corresponding to the obtained identification code, in case of correspondence between the decrypted identification code and the obtained identification code, decrypting the encrypted product information using the encryption key.