Environmental Sensor Authentication via Security Key Hashing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Environmental sensor systems face security concerns, such as impersonation and unauthorized data transfer, especially over wireless networks, due to the difficulty in authenticating and selecting the correct sensor among multiple sensors with partitioned security zones.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a method where environmental sensors monitor conditions, transfer access requests, receive security challenges, generate hash results using stored security keys, and receive security grants to authenticate and select the appropriate sensor functions for data transfer to a remote data system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sensors are employed on a device with partitioned security zones, then sensor functionality and coverage are improved, but authentication and selection of the correct sensor become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the security authentication process into distinct components: each sensor is assigned a unique security key, and the system performs separate challenge-response authentication for each sensor. This segmentation allows multiple sensors to operate independently with individual authentication credentials, making it easy to identify and authenticate the correct sensor while maintaining partitioned security zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces security keys as intermediary elements that facilitate authentication between sensors and the partitioned security zones. These keys act as mediators that enable the system to verify sensor identity and authorize data transfer without requiring complex manual configuration or user intervention, thus improving ease of operation while supporting multiple sensors.
2Reliability
If encryption is employed to protect data in transit, then data security is improved, but the original data might be altered or corrupted by malicious systems before encryption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary authentication through challenge-response verification using security keys before data encryption and transfer. This preliminary action ensures that the sensor is authenticated and authorized before any data operations occur, preventing malicious systems from altering or corrupting data before encryption. The authentication happens in advance, establishing trust prior to data handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms where the remote data system sends security challenges and receives authenticated responses. This feedback loop verifies sensor authenticity and authorization status before allowing data transfer, ensuring that only authenticated sensors can transmit data and that the data has not been tampered with during the authentication process.
3Reliability
If security zones are implemented on separate microprocessors or cores, then security isolation is improved, but indicating which sensor to use becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal authentication mechanism using security keys that works across all sensors and partitioned security zones. Instead of requiring separate authentication methods for each sensor or zone, the system uses a consistent challenge-response protocol with security keys, simplifying sensor selection and indication while maintaining security isolation across different microprocessors or cores.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and software for operating environmental sensor systems are provided herein. In one example, a method is provided that includes monitoring environmental conditions to detect a trigger condition and transferring an access request for delivery to a data system responsive to the trigger condition. The method also includes receiving a security challenge transferred by the data system, and in response, transferring a security answer for delivery to the data system that includes a hash result generated using one of the security keys, and receiving a security grant transferred by the data system indicating one of the hash results. The method also includes selecting an environmental sensor function based on an association with one of the security keys used to generate the hash result indicated in the security grant, performing the environmental sensor function to obtain sensor data, and transferring the sensor data for delivery to the data system.