A Secure Mutual Authentication Protocol for Low-cost RFID System

With extended data storage space and advanced wireless transmission capability, Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) is rapidly deployed to replace barcode position in our daily lives and considered as the next generation identification technology in ubiquitous communication environment. The most important key factor of RFID technology is to enable systems with the ability to automatically identify labeled objects without the constraint of line of sight. RFID technology is a well known AIDC (Automatic Identification and Data Capture) technology to provide the benefits including contactless read, long transmission range and transaction time saving (Garfinkel & Rosenberg, 2005). Most of innovative applications designed for RFID system can be divided into following classes such as asset management, tracking, authenticity verification, matching, process control, access control, automated payment and supply chain management (Karygiannis et al., 2007). In spite that the adoption of RFID technology becomes popular in a board range of applications, the cost of a RFID tag is still too expensive to be fully adopted by logistic and retailer industries. Even though from the logistic and retailer industries point of view, to label RFID tags on all sale items is still cost-prohibitive under the current price of a passive RFID tag. Nevertheless, the convenience of RFID technology still has a great attraction for inventory management. For example, in 2005, Wal-Mart which is the biggest retailer in America declared a new policy to force its top 500 suppliers to adopt RFID technology for inventory management; otherwise, Wal-Mart will deny new transaction contracts from those who do not comply this new policy. Because of this policy, all top 500 suppliers start to apply RFID tags onto their merchandises by spending and absorbing extra RFID cost. In contrary, the introduction of RFID technology can provide great benefits for Wal-Mart to control logistic process accurately, replenish empty stock efficiently and lower space requirement for goods storage. Although the widespread use of RFID technology makes human life better than past, the security invasion and user privacy disclosure are still concerned by individuals and organizations. For example, in 2006, Metro AG which is the biggest supermarket chain store in Germany used the RFID technology to not only automatically manage production and stock but also help customers search their target items quickly. Metro AG gave VIP cards to the top 10% customers and based on the historical shopping behaviors of a VIP customer to recommend products nearby the customer’s current location. However, Metro AG did not notify VIP customers that the VIP card is embedded with RFID. Three months later, a VIP O pe n A cc es s D at ab as e w w w .in te ch w eb .o rg