A lightweight inter-zonal authentication protocol for moving objects in low powered RF systems

Abstract

Automatic identification systems represent a wide classification of devices used primarily in commercialsettings for inventory/logistics control. Familiar examples of such devices are bar codes, magnetic strips, smartcards, RFID (Radio frequency identification) and biometric and voice recognition. Security is especially lax in low powered RF (radio frequency) systems communicating through an unsecured radio wave channel. Security represents a critical component for enabling the large scale adoption of automatic identification systems. Providing an effective security solution for low powered systems is a major area of concern; it directs research towards ‘power consumption aware’ computations in security solutions. This paper proposes a Lightweight Inter-Zonal Authentication Protocol for moving objects in low powered RF systems. Formal validation and a thorough analysis of the protocol in SPAN security tool reveals its effectiveness and resiliency to attacks–eaves dropping, reader and tag impersonation, replay and desynchronization.