Grant: Idea to Innovation

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) cards and readers are widely to authentication users in multiple applications such as physical access to buildings, public transportation and credit card transactions. Unfortunately, current commercial solutions are insecure as previous research has demonstrated. One fundamental problem is that RFID cards do not have the computing power required to use strong cryptography. Another issue is that RFID readers are not field upgradable, which leaves them exposed to vulnerabilities for the full life cycle of their deployment. Smart phones today have the computing power required to implement modern encryption algorithms and secure authentication protocols. However, until recently these mobile devices did not have the chips required to support RFID-type communications. Fortunately, a growing number of smart phones come ""out-of-the-box"" with integrated Near Field Communication (NFC) capabilities that enables them to ""talk"" with RFID technologies. Moreover, easily reprogrammable RFID/NFC-enabled hardware components are available today that can be used to build firmware-upgradable and tamper-proof readers. The objective of this project is to produce the next generation of authentication technologies based on mobile devices that will address the security problems of current commercial RFID solutions. The key deliverable for this project will be a mobile app and a prototype NFC reader, which will interface with a physical controller to lock and unlock doors. This project will build on previous security work on RFID/NFC cards and readers developed on the research platform Proxmark3. The end result will be a proof-of-concept prototype that will enable the creation of start-up from l'Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal by securing a seed investment from a Canadian IT security firm interested to mature the technology all the way to market.