RFID Tag Encryption Using Broadcast Scheme
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Solution Overview
Problem
RFID tags face issues with unintended information leakage and unauthorized access, particularly in scenarios where attackers can lock access or send random information to readers, leading to inefficiencies in identifying entities and potential privacy breaches.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a broadcast encryption (BE) scheme to encrypt RFID tag IDs, store encrypted IDs on both the server and tag, and manage reader access through index and header generation, allowing only authorized readers to decrypt and read the IDs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If RFID tag ID data is stored in plaintext for easy reading, then reading efficiency is improved, but information security deteriorates due to unintended leakage to unauthorized readers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an encryption intermediary mechanism where the RFID tag ID is encrypted using a broadcast encryption scheme. The encrypted ID is stored in the tag and can only be decrypted by authorized readers who possess the correct private key, preventing unauthorized readers from accessing the plaintext ID while maintaining efficient reading operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the ID data from plaintext form to encrypted form by changing its parameter state. The ID is encrypted using public key infrastructure where the tag holds the public key and the server holds the private key, fundamentally changing the security parameters of the stored data while allowing efficient encrypted comparisons and searches.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If encryption is implemented on RFID tag IDs, then information security is improved, but device complexity increases due to encryption/decryption operations and key management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the encryption system into distinct functional components: the RFID tag stores only the encrypted ID and public key information, the server maintains the private key and decryption functionality, and authorized readers possess the necessary private keys for decryption. This segmentation distributes complexity across multiple entities rather than concentrating it in a single device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-generating encryption key pairs and pre-encrypting the RFID tag IDs during tag initialization. The encrypted IDs are stored in the tags before deployment, and the server pre-computes the necessary decryption keys and authentication credentials, eliminating the need for complex real-time key generation and simplifying operational complexity.
3Reliability
If memory area is increased to store additional security information, then security functionality is improved, but tag cost and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heavy encryption key storage and management functionality from the RFID tag itself and relocates it to the server system. The tag only needs to store the encrypted ID and minimal public key information, while the server stores the private keys and handles all complex decryption operations. This extraction significantly reduces the memory requirements in the tag while maintaining comprehensive security functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag encryption method and system using a broadcast encryption (BE) scheme are provided by encrypting an ID of an RFID tag, storing the encrypted ID in a server and the RFID tag, and storing information relating to a reader authorized to read out the RFID tag in the server so that the reader can read out the RFID tag by decrypting the encrypted ID based on the encrypted ID information read from the RFID tag and the reader information. When readers read out ID data from the RFID tag, a privileged reader can read the data. Thus, it is possible to block unintended information leakage to the readers. In addition, user usability can be enhanced since an attacker cannot perform an access lock on the RFID tag.