Security approaches for Radio Frequency Identification systems

In this thesis, I explore the challenges related to the security of the Electronic Product Code (EPC) class of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags and associated data. RFID systems can be used to improve supply chain performance and automate asset management. However, an antagonist could use the functionality of the RFID tags and the EPC data to invade personal privacy or acquire access to unauthorized corporate information such as inventory levels. In addition, current RFID mechanisms expose secrets to the readers, which opens an avenue for exploits and information leakage. I examined the RFID security and privacy issues and designed a number of systems to improve tag authentication, privacy protection, and secure sharing of EPC data. The specific solutions I propose include TagCheck to protect tags from counterfeiting, JanusTag to allow recoverable dynamic recoding of tags, TagFolio for privacy policy enforcement, and TagDirective for secret management and access control. To prevent leakage at the application level during Object Name System (ONS) resolution, I propose the use of an anonymizing TorONS system.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2007

Author dc:creator

• Foley, Joseph Timothy, 1976-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Sanjay Sarma.

• Mechanical Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/38710

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/38710