RFID installations in the age of increased security requirements

The automation of production and business processes has been subject to constantly changing requirements for many years. In recent years, the focus has primarily been on increasing efficiency and seamless digital integration into backend and management systems.

However, in times of massively increased security requirements, RFID systems must now have completely new architectures, especially if they are to be used in so-called critical infrastructure. Critical infrastructures are of crucial importance for the smooth functioning of states and organizations and have been the subject of increased attention from governments and their authorities as well as public and private organizations and companies for several years.

Kathrein Solutions has always invested heavily in research and development to meet these demands and to ensure that the company's own technology portfolio is always one step ahead of current market requirements.

Basically, the requirements for a modern and secure RFID system can be divided into several areas:

1. Securing and monitoring the function of the installation
2. Protection and safeguarding of system and personal data recorded by the system
3. Elimination of backdoor / trapdoor access options

Kathrein's own Industrial Operating System, which was already implemented in the second RFID reader generation in 2014, enabled specific adaptation to the IT security requirements of the respective end users, at that time with a focus on the automotive industry. By extending the RFID read/write devices with their own IT operating systems, it was possible to integrate the installations into the core networks of large companies without additional costs and to manage and operate them with the existing IT tools. The protection of the data transmitted between the transponders and RFID read/write devices was not yet a priority, as it was mostly just production-specific IDs of components and load carriers.

IT security in industry and logistics:

The ongoing digitalization and networking of individual systems is now also leading to an increased demand for "secure car ID" solutions in industrial automation. Sensitive information such as the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) or FID (Vehicle Identification Number) is now stored on RFID transponders, which remain permanently on the vehicle and must be protected against unintentional reading by unauthorized third parties. Standard RFID systems only offer basic protection in the form of a 32-bit password, which is transmitted unencrypted.

Special focus on transport routes as critical infrastructure

Systems designed to detect motor vehicles and rail vehicles now also require a significantly higher level of safety and immunity to interference. The requirements here can also be divided into several areas:

1. Ensuring trouble-free operation, even in the event of power failures
2. Secure IT integration into existing backend systems
3. Protection against malicious damage and manipulation in semi-public areas
4. Protection of vehicle and personal data

Since railroad networks and highways have always been the most important supply routes and infrastructures of countries, special attention is paid to the protection of these important lifelines. In both segments, Kathrein Solutions is one of the leading providers of identification solutions that ensure secure operation over a long period of time - even in harsh outdoor environments and unstable power supply networks. The respective security concept behind each of these applications has also been specifically designed in cooperation with the respective integration partner to meet the requirements of the end user.

Railway infrastructure

In the railroad environment, both the train information must be stored in encrypted form on the respective transponders and the connection to the railroad operator-specific backend system must be implemented securely and cost-effectively.

Self-sufficient power supplies and reading points connected via 4G mobile radio make it possible to realize fast roll-outs with Kathrein hardware and software without time-consuming civil engineering work.

The sometimes very high speeds of up to 350 km/h of the objects to be detected require a very high reading performance of the RFID infrastructure, as up to ten times more data must be transmitted in the same time due to the high level of data security.

Intelligent transportation systems

Kathrein's ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems) market segment includes the areas of toll collection systems and vehicle registration solutions. In many countries around the world, there has been a massively increased security risk for many years. In particular, the data of the respective vehicle owner stored on the transponders must be securely stored and protected against unauthorized reading in order to prevent attacks by means of so-called body traps. However, this presents the system architect with a major challenge, as there is now a separate unique key for each individual transponder, which must be secure and also available in real time in most applications.

New technology as an aid to greater safety in the Auto ID world:

New security transponders based on ISO 18000-63C provide comprehensive protection and enable security by means of a 128-bit AES key stored in the transponder IC hardware that performs cryptographic authentication checks. These transponders have been developed in accordance with the standards for global interoperability, namely GS1™ UHF RFID Gen2 v2.0 (Annex N, Tag Alteration (Authenticator)) and ISO/IEC 29167-10 for proof of origin based on AES (advanced encryption standard). Since 2016, Kathrein Solutions has been the first manufacturer worldwide to offer the full integration of so-called security transponders in its entire RFID portfolio. In order to realize a secure RFID reading station, it is not only necessary to encrypt the connection to the backend system, it is also imperative to secure the communication between reader and tag on the air interface. With the RRU 45xx generations, an integrated HSM (High Secure Memory) module has been available since 2017. This makes it possible to store tag-specific keys, which are necessary for reading the encrypted content on the transponders, securely and also with high quality (AES 128 bit) in a decentralized manner on the reader.

New high performance solution with the RRU 7700 Reader

With the new RRU 7700 RFID reader, a new generation of high-security readers is now available that allows the highest security standards in terms of integration into backend systems. It also enables unprecedented speed in the processing of encrypted transponder data both on the network side and on the air interface.

An additional increase in security is achieved through the key diversification process. Each transponder is given a unique and one-off key. The respective key is calculated directly in the HSM. On the one hand, this enables fast and secure access, as no keys need to be transferred. Another new feature is the HSM's self-protection function. If unauthorized access is detected, the HSM module deletes all stored data and keys!

With these measures, the currently most secure and fastest RFID detection systems can be set up. The processing time for decoding transponder data in the reader has been increased by a factor of 20, which is reflected in a maximum speed of < 300 km/h for the complete decoding of transponder data for moving objects.

Successful rollouts in the toll and rail environment

The first successful installations are already in use in the toll environment and with leading European rail operators. The use of the high-performance decentralized RFID reader RRU 7700, which enables the entire key handling on site as well as the secure connection to the backend system via 4G network, has been expanded to include a self-sufficient, solar-powered energy supply. This approach is exemplary for a completely new type of RFID reader station that combines maximum performance with efficient and contemporary costs in acquisition and operation.