Proximity Communication Trust via Shared Secret
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing proximity-based communication systems, such as those using NFC technology, require user acknowledgment or confirmation for secure interactions, which can render devices vulnerable to attacks and disrupt seamless device interactions, especially when users want to share content or execute actions across multiple devices without interruptions.
Innovation Solution
Establishing a trust mechanism between devices using a shared secret value that allows for secure, automatic verification of message integrity without relying on third-party certification or Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), enabling seamless communication and action execution across devices without user intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If user acknowledgment or confirmation is required for secure interactions, then device security is improved, but user experience and communication seamlessness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by establishing a shared secret between devices before actual communication occurs. This pre-established trust mechanism allows devices to automatically verify message integrity without requiring user acknowledgment during interactions, thus maintaining security while enabling seamless communication.
Solution Approach 2:
The trust verification mechanism operates autonomously through self-service. Devices automatically verify message integrity using the pre-established shared secret without requiring user intervention. The system serves itself by independently confirming authentication and integrity, eliminating the need for user acknowledgment while maintaining security.
2Reliability
If user acknowledgment is required for each interaction, then attack vulnerability is reduced, but communication efficiency and productivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Security measures are performed in advance by establishing a shared secret between devices before communication begins. This preliminary trust establishment enables automatic message integrity verification during interactions, maintaining attack resistance while eliminating the need for repeated user acknowledgments that would reduce communication efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The trust verification mechanism operates continuously and automatically throughout communication sessions. Devices maintain secure interactions through continuous automatic verification using the shared secret, eliminating interruptions caused by required user acknowledgments and thereby sustaining high communication efficiency while preserving security.
3Reliability
If third-party certification or PKI is used for verification, then authentication reliability is improved, but system complexity and device requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and removes the dependency on third-party certification authorities and complex PKI infrastructure. Instead, it uses a simplified approach where devices directly share secrets with each other, maintaining authentication reliability while significantly reducing system complexity and eliminating the need for external certification services.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared secret acts as an intermediary trust mechanism between devices, replacing the need for third-party certification authorities. This direct peer-to-peer trust establishment maintains authentication reliability while simplifying the system architecture by removing complex PKI dependencies and intermediary certification services.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
Methods, systems, and computer programs for trusted communication among mobile devices are described. In some aspects, an authentication value is generated at a first mobile device based on a message and a shared secret value stored on the first mobile device. In response to detecting proximity of a second mobile device, the message and the authentication value are wirelessly transmitted from the first mobile device to the second mobile device. In some implementations, the message and the authentication value can be wirelessly transmitted by a proximity-activated wireless interface, such as, for example, a Near Field Communication (NFC) interface.