Secure One-Way RFID Tag Identification via Auxiliary Identifier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing RFID tags, particularly in one-way communication scenarios, face challenges in securing data transmission, leading to vulnerabilities in tag cloning and fraudulent reuse of tag information, which increases complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a method that generates an auxiliary identifier and a secure representation on the RFID tag, which is then transmitted to the RFID reader, allowing for verification of the tag's identity and detection of repeated use of previously read data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If encryption is used to secure RFID transmissions, then security is improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cryptographic processing functions from the RFID tag to the reader side. The tag only generates an auxiliary identifier and transmits it, while all encryption, decryption, and verification operations are performed by the reader. This extraction of complex functions from the tag resolves the contradiction by maintaining security through cryptographic operations while keeping the tag simple and low-cost.
2Reliability
If bidirectional tags with encryption are used, then security is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cryptographic processing functions from the RFID tag to the reader side. The tag only generates an auxiliary identifier and transmits it, while all encryption, decryption, and verification operations are performed by the reader. This extraction of complex functions from the tag resolves the contradiction by maintaining security through cryptographic operations while keeping the tag simple and low-cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs inexpensive RFID tags that can be mass-produced at low cost. These simple tags serve their purpose of providing unique identification and auxiliary identifiers, while the security-critical cryptographic operations are handled by the more expensive reader infrastructure. This division allows the tags to be cheap and disposable while the system overall maintains high security.
3Device complexity
If tags talk only in one direction, then device complexity is reduced, but security against cloning and fraudulent reuse deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by generating an auxiliary identifier at the tag before transmission. This auxiliary identifier serves as a preliminary security measure that, when combined with cryptographic verification at the reader side, prevents cloning and fraudulent reuse. The tag prepares this identifier in advance as part of its simple one-way communication capability, while the security verification is performed preliminarily by the reader before accepting the tag data.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method, apparatus and system for secure one-way RFID tag identifications provided. The method comprising generating, at an RFID tag, an auxiliary identifier; generating, at an RFID tag, a secure representation based on the auxiliary identifier; transmitting, from the RFID tag and receiving at an RFID reader, one or more representations of the auxiliary identifier and the tag identifier including the secure representation; and verifying the identity of the RFID tag based on the received representations.