RFID Tag Security via Asymmetric Channel Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

RFID systems face security vulnerabilities due to the short communication distance, allowing attacks from farther distances, especially when writing information to the tag, which is costly to address with full smartcard solutions.

Innovation Solution

Protecting only the insecure reader-to-tag communication channel by using the secure tag-to-reader channel to generate and transmit random data for encoding information to be written, leveraging the RFID tag's ability to generate true random numbers for a one-time pad scheme.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If full smartcard solutions with CPU, RAM, ROM and cryptographic operations are used to increase security, then security is improved, but cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidcost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the security protection into two separate communication channels: the reader-to-tag channel (which is vulnerable and needs protection) and the tag-to-reader channel (which is inherently secure due to proximity requirements). By segmenting the protection requirements, the system applies cryptographic measures only where necessary, avoiding the need for full smartcard functionality in all components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of implementing complete cryptographic protection on both communication channels, the patent applies security measures partially - only to the reader-to-tag channel. This partial action approach provides sufficient security against the identified vulnerability while avoiding the excessive cost and complexity of protecting both channels equally.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Reliability

If cryptographic handshakes are implemented for secure communication setup, then security is improved, but setup time increases and software complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidsetup time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent generates and stores random data in the RFID tag before the actual communication takes place. This preliminary generation of cryptographic material eliminates the need for time-consuming cryptographic handshakes during the communication setup phase, as the security credentials are already in place and ready for use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP1894145B1Method and device for increased RFID transmission security

Publication Date: 2009.04.01 NXP BV

Figure 1
Figure 2~3

AI summary

A method and system for secure RFID system communication is provided. The RFID system comprises an RFID reader (101) communicating with an RFID tag (102). The RFID reader (101) sends (116) to the RFID tag (102) a request to write. The RFID tag (102) generates random data (P), and sends (122) the random data (P) to the RFID reader (101). The RFID system encrypts information (M2) by using the random data (P), and the RFID reader (101) sends (124) the encrypted information (E) to the RFID tag (102) which decrypts the information (E) by using the random data (P). Finally the RFID tag (102) stores (126) the decrypted information (M2) on a memory (103) of the RFID tag (102).