Research On Security And Privacy Protection In The Mobile RFID Systems

Mobile RFID is defined as a special type of mobile service using RFID tag packing objects and RFID readers attached to mobile RFID terminals. In such applications, RFID readers are installed in intelligent terminals such as PDA or mobile phone and other mobile devices. RFID readers can be mobile while RFID tags are relatively static.However, Mobile RFID system is facing all kinds of security and privacy threats because of its own features. First, the RF channel is an open channel, and tag and reader are in an insecure wireless channel to communicate with each other. Anyone who has the appropriate RF equipment can tap RF channels and obtain information. Therefore, the mobile RFID system faces with traditional security threats such as forgery, eavesdropping, replay attacks, tampering with information in tags, and the ability of tracking targets is more likely to cause serious privacy problems. Second, the reader is embedded into mobile devices in the mobile RFID systems, but mobile devices would be quite popular, so anyone has the mobile device as a reader and obtains information of tagged objects. The reader is no longer is a trusted entity. Third, contrast to the traditional RFID system, the communication channel between the RFID reader and the back-end server is not assumed to be safe in the mobile RFID system any more. If users want to use their mobile devices to obtain information from the tag, the back-end server must first obtain certification. These features make the mobile RFID system face more serious security and privacy challenges than RFID system. It requires an new authentication protocol suitable to mobile RFID system to meet user needs for security and privacy protection.This paper describes the features of mobile RFID systems, hardware environment, design and their impact on security and privacy protection needs, and analyses the deficiencies of existing solutions. On this basis we present an improved security protocol, and analyse mobile RFID systems application design. Positive progress has been achieved in this paper in three respects below:(1) The features of mobile RFID systems, hardware environment, design and their impact on security and privacy protection needs are described for detail, and a simple mobile RFID system is designed. The system could identify the reader model, the arrival and departure time of cards, SIM card number of GSM Sending terminal, and write number to the card and read the written number. Tag and back-end server could have simple information exchanges, and the result is verified.(2) An improved authentication protocol suitable to mobile RFID system has been designed. The proposed protocol neither requires additional devices, nor requires complex encryption and decryption calculations. Our protocol only requires hash functions, XOR operations and generates random numbers using P.R.N.G(Pseudo Random Number Generator). At the same time, the proposed protocol can provide tag anonymity, impersonation resistance and replay attack resistance. Hence, the information is safe and the user privacy is guaranteed.(3) An older information card applications based on mobile RFID technology is described for detail. The elderly-related information is stored in the card, and mobile devices are configured in hospitals, communities, police and other departments. The relevant staff can scan older information card and obtain information. The design will help old friends, especially those suffering from illness or the ability to express is not clear out provide additional protection to facilitate their travel, and medical care activities. So the design has its social and economic benefits.