Sensor Data Integrity Protection via Coupled Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for protecting sensor data from manipulation, especially in wireless sensor networks, are vulnerable to key loss due to side channel attacks and do not provide robust enough security against manipulation, particularly in scenarios where energy efficiency is a concern.
Innovation Solution
A method that combines challenge-response authentication with message authentication codes, using time-variant parameters like sequence counters or random numbers to ensure secure transaction authentication, even if a key is lost, by tightly coupling authentication and integrity protection, and employing cryptographic techniques like EMAC and OMAC for high security standards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional authentication methods are used in wireless sensor networks, then energy consumption is reduced, but security against manipulation is weakened due to key loss from side channel attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines authentication and integrity protection into a single transaction authentication process. The authentication message serves dual purposes: verifying the sensor's identity and ensuring the integrity of subsequent data transmissions. This merging eliminates the need for separate authentication and data protection mechanisms, providing robust security against manipulation while maintaining energy efficiency in wireless sensor networks.
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication message is segmented into multiple parts, with different portions used for different security functions. Specifically, the authentication message is divided such that part of it serves for authentication while another part serves for integrity protection of sensor data. This segmentation allows the system to maintain security even if part of the key material is compromised through side channel attacks.
2Reliability
If separate authentication and integrity protection protocols are used, then security coverage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges authentication and integrity protection into a single unified protocol called transaction authentication. Instead of implementing separate authentication protocols and separate data integrity protocols, the invention combines both functions into one process where the authentication message establishes both the authenticated session and the integrity protection mechanism for subsequent sensor data transmissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication message serves multiple functions simultaneously: it authenticates the sensor's identity, establishes an encrypted communication channel, and provides integrity protection for sensor data. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate protocols needed and simplifies the overall system architecture while maintaining comprehensive security coverage.
3Reliability
If a random number generator is implemented on the sensor side for high security, then security standards are improved, but device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the random number generation function from the sensor and relocates it to the controlling device. The controlling device generates random numbers and transmits them to the sensor as part of the authentication process. The sensor then uses these received random numbers in its MAC calculations for integrity protection, eliminating the need for the sensor to have its own random number generator while maintaining high security standards.
Data Source
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Figure 6a
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for protecting sensor data from manipulation, and a sensor to this end. In the course of authenticating the sensor, a one-time-use number is sent to the sensor by a control device, wherein the sensor generates a cryptographic authentication message using the one-time-use number and sends at least one first part of the cryptographic authentication message to the control device. The sensor data are further provided with cryptographic integrity protection, wherein time-variable parameters are added to the sensor data, and wherein the sensor data having the cryptographic integrity protection and the added time-variable parameters are sent to the control device by the sensor. At least one second part of the cryptographic authentication message is utilized for calculating initial parameters and at least one third part of the cryptographic authentication message is utilized for calculating the cryptographic integrity protection, and the time-variable parameters are calculated using the initial parameters.