 | Friday, August 12, 2005
Issue 178 | | Will Smith, Editor |  |
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Editor's Note: Today's top story is about an authentication scheme that could potentially balance the supply chain benefits of RFID with the privacy concerns of the consumer.
Also, IBM announced this week the successful testing of a new sensor solution for the U.S. Army that will improve operational efficiency and increase the safety of soldiers in the field. According to the announcement, the solution uses embedded sensors in military vehicles that send signals from the field to IBM middleware and Business Partner applications in central locations to remotely diagnose repairs and to determine fuel and ammunition replenishment needs. The new system dramatically improves upon the current process, in which troops are required to make routine in-person inspections of military ground vehicles, sometimes in the field of combat.
The BBC reports that RFID chips will start being used in India to help track the roughly 40,000 cows that roam the Indian capital of Delhi.
Lastly, supply chain solution provider and "RFID in a Box" developer Manhattan Associates will pay $50 million cash to acquire Evant, a provider of supply chain planning and replenishment solutions. |
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| Upcoming RFID Events | - Wireless Sensing Solutions | Sept. 26-28 | Chicago, IL (site)  | | - Smart Labels Europe 2005, 20-21 Sep, Cambridge, UK (site) | | - Military Logistics Summit, Sept 28-30, Alexandria, VA (site) | | - EPCglobal US Conference, Sep. 13-15, 2005 in Atlanta, GA (site) | | - Organic RFID: The Promise of Printed Electronics (site) | | - Track & Trace Summit: Achieve ROI from RFID Implementations (site) | | | RFID Research and Knowledge | | - Printed Organic Semiconductors for RFID (site) | | - Have RFID questions? Ask the RFID Talk experts (site) | | - RFID Knowledgebase - 10% Off for RFID Update Readers (site) | | | RFID Training and Certification | | - RFID Masters Class Plus 2 Free Days Consulting (site) | | - RFID4U-RFID Implementation Training (site) | | | Employment in RFID | | - RFID Recruiters - 100% Focused on RFID Recruiting (site) | | | RFID Products & Services | | - SimplyRFID.com: Plug-and-play for RFID -- now shipping (site) | |
Security System to Balance Privacy and Supply Chain
The RFiD Society has published a short paper about a newly proposed approach to RFID privacy and security. It is an authentication technique called "zero knowledge proofs" that can purportedly balance the commercial benefits of RFID in the supply chain with the privacy concerns of consumers. Stephan Engberg is the leading proponent of the patented approach, and he has founded RFIDSec in an effort to commercialize it with the ZEROLEAK product line.
In essence, zero knowledge proof allows the interrogator of a tag -- i.e., the RFID reader device -- to verify its identity in a way that does not compromise any of the tag's data. (The paper linked below includes a detailed description of the concept.) Once the reader has "proven" its identity through a series of authentication commands, it is able to read the contents of the tag. The system is dual mode. While the tag is traveling through the supply chain, it is in "EPC mode" and offers all the track-and-trace functionality expected of RFID technology to enhance the supply chain. Upon checkout, the tag is switched to "privacy mode," at which point it is either totally disabled ("killed") or configured to share its identity for the purposes of subsequent warranty servicing and recalls.
There are a number of ways the paper asserts that the zero knowledge proof security methodology is complimentary to that employed by EPC:- It can only ever expose identity information, that is, information related to the authentication between tag and reader.
- It only requires a closed, local computer system to run. The EPC approach, by contrast, requires the full EPCglobal Network infrastructure, including the ONS and EPC discovery services.
- The EPC system makes available an index of information stored on each tag, and "there is no control over the amount of information that might be made available through that index." Zero knowledge makes a point to avoid sharing extraneous information.
- Lastly, zero knowledge allows for some flexibility in the strength of authentication. Such flexibility allows an application designer to configure a system to be either more or less secure, depending on the needs of the application.
These supposed superior qualities of zero knowledge do not imply that it should be used in favor of EPC. On the contrary, the paper explicitly states that "the proposed solution is to use RFID chips that combine the strengths of ... both EPC and zero knowledge." In so doing, supply chain benefits, theft prevention, anti-tag counterfeiting, and consumer privacy protections are all achieved.
Without more data on zero knowledge, it is hard to know how well it can live up to the claims. But one thing is for sure: the more resources that are devoted to balancing supply chain benefits with consumer privacy and security, the better for everyone involved.
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| Upcoming RFID Events | Wireless Sensing Solutions | Sept. 26-28 | Chicago, IL
Explore the opportunities, applications and deployments of wireless sensor networking. In-depth sessions, workshops and real-world examples of wireless sensing in action will highlight the excellent opportunities for growing your business. Register for your Platinum or 2-Day Conference Pass with Priority Code C2101 and receive a free Apple iPod shuffle! www.wssconference.com | Smart Labels Europe 2005, 20-21 Sep, Cambridge, UK
Smart Labels Europe 2005, sponsored by Avery Dennison, is now in its sixth year and covers the biggest RFID challenge today – implementing RFID systems. Users will present their experiences, and experts and system integrators will tell you how to successfully implement and benefit from the technology. www.smartlabelseurope.com | Military Logistics Summit, Sept 28-30, Alexandria, VA
IDGA’s Military Logistics Summit (September 28-30, 2005) will offer the most thorough treatment of military logistics issues you will experience this year, featuring tracks on: RFID for Defense; Performance Based Logistics; and Battlefield Logistics. Visit here to download a brochure. Register early to receive the online registration discount! | EPCglobal US Conference, Sep. 13-15, 2005 in Atlanta, GA
EPCglobal standards and technology sessions, rich in tangible, practical, real world usability, and expanded exhibit floor, are offered September 13-15, 2005 at the Georgia World Congress Center - Atlanta. Users share experiences, ROI learning's, and the value of their EPC implementation. Click here for more information. | Organic RFID: The Promise of Printed Electronics
Organic RFID attendees will learn about opportunities for implementing RFID on a large scale in the commercial sector through the use of organic-rather than silicon-tags. Attendees will learn about innovations in printing organic materials and will benefit from numerous networking opportunities with high-level industry experts. Click here: www.intertechusa.com/orfid.htm | Track & Trace Summit: Achieve ROI from RFID Implementations
Join us at the Track & Trace Summit on October 17-19 in Miami offering you 100% more end-user case studies than any other US RFID event. Achieve ROI through tangible RFID solutions, strategies and methods you can implement now. Visit www.trackandtracesummit.com for more information. | | | RFID Research and Knowledge | Printed Organic Semiconductors for RFID
Report readers will learn about material and production costs of organic-based RFID tags, market opportunities, and issues surrounding item-level tagging that will help them make RFID-related business decisions from a balanced, well-informed perspective. Click here: www.intertechusa.com/rfid | Have RFID questions? Ask the RFID Talk experts
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RFID4U offers training all over world - e-Learning and instructor-led and onsite courses. Over 400 individuals already trained. Open registration and 10% discount for RFID Update readers. The Global Hub For RFID Training, Click Here! | | | Employment in RFID | RFID Recruiters - 100% Focused on RFID Recruiting
Whether your company is looking for the best RFID talent or you have the best RFID talent and are looking for the best RFID employer, RFID Recruiters offers the most focused approach to your objective. To learn how the RFID industry and the RFID job market are evolving, click here! | | | RFID Products & Services | SimplyRFID.com: Plug-and-play for RFID -- now shipping
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