RFID Technology Literature Review: Security Issues and Algorithms

This report presents a literature review on RFID technology, focusing on security issues, algorithm design, and their applications in various industries. The review analyzes the importance of tag search protocols and their vulnerabilities, highlighting the need for secure and efficient RFID systems. It explores the integration of RFID with IoT and cloud computing, emphasizing the significance of data privacy and authentication. The report discusses the impact of RFID on supply chain management, inventory control, and logistics, while addressing the challenges of tag separation and ownership transfer. Several research papers are critically examined, comparing different algorithms and frameworks proposed to enhance RFID security, including those based on pseudo-random number generators, quadratic residues, and knowledge-based encryption. The review identifies key requirements for future research, including the development of robust algorithms and frameworks to mitigate security risks and improve the overall efficiency and reliability of RFID technology across various commercial sectors. The report concludes by emphasizing the need for a unified security, trust, and privacy framework to ensure the secure deployment of RFID systems.

Student ID : 11679129
Name : Rajendar Challa
Subject Code : ITC560
Assignment : Milestone 2: RFID
technology

Literature review:
The author have discussed about the importance of proper tag search protocol and its
importance in adopting RFID technique for various industrial applications (Jannati &Bahrak,
2016). As discussed by the authors, that without proper tag search protocol, neither it is
possible to ensure efficient application of RFID technology, nor is it possible to ensure
security of this application. One of the major issues of RFID tag search protocol is that they
are easy to exploit. It is correct that RFID tag search protocols offers convenience such that it
helps to find a specific item in a store with this RFID technique and it is hence an effective
solution for logistic operations. However, it is not difficult to make impersonation of a RFID
tag with another one and along with that, it is also possible to find out the identity of a
specific RRFID tag. Although, a tag search protocol provided by Sundaresan et al. claims to
solver most of this issue which integrates 128-bit pseudo random number generators and
exclusive-or operations and both of these algorithm with RFID passive tags in EPC global
Class-1 Gen-2 standard, and might be considered for larger industrial application as well.
According to the researchers of this protocol, this protocol offers privacy, anonymity of
application, which has been a major issue of the previously proposed protocols. Along with
that, this algorithm as claimed by the researchers is it is not affected by de-synchronization,
replay and impersonation attacks and hence an effective solution for RFID applications.
However, the authors in this article has showed that performance of the protocol is not
consistent with the claims of the researchers as there are security vulnerabilities and it is not
resistant against de-synchronization and impersonation attacks and also does not ensure

privacy of location of RFID tag. Hence, this search protocol according to the authors is not
applicable for larger industrial applications due to security issues.
The advancement of technology has presented a context for applying IOT in industrial
context for increasing efficiency. Now implementation of IOT depends on appropriate
application of sensor technology and RFID technology has emerged as a potential sensor
technology for RFID application (Lee et al., 2016). Data collected from IOT sensors are then
stored in the cloud and processed for offering intelligence from the collected data. Hence,
RFID protocol should be such that it ensures data privacy and data authentication. The author
in this article has proposed for a secure RFID protocol, which is an extension of the protocol
offered by Cao et al., and this might be considered as the lightweight version of the original
protocol. This protocol proposed by the authors is designed with the quadratic residues. Not
only this is a lightweight version of the original protocol, it is more secured than the previous
protocol, which has security issues such as de-synchronization, less authentication and
location privacy issues. However, this proposed protocol described in this article has
improved this issue and offers enhanced protection for ownership transfer and that too in
lower cost. Along with that, this protocol offers greater efficiency and scalability of
application as well.
The tag separation in supply chain is an important issue, which somehow limits application of
RFID tag in supply chain. This tag separation encourages loss in supply chain through illegal
modification of tag, which affects performance of RFID tag and leads to administrative error
in supply chain (Tu, Zhou & Piramuthu, 2018). In order to prevent this tag separation, the
authors have proposed for knowledge-based means and integrated it with encryption for
enhancing security. This knowledge-based encrypted system helps to identify any possible

modification in the RFID tag, which helps to improve security issues in RFID, based
inventory management. As modification of the RFID tag is easy to identify, it improves
effectiveness of RFID tag in inventory and supply chain management.
RFID tag has important role to play in modernizing the way items are tracked and identified.
It is an advanced technology and way more efficient than the traditional tracking techniques.
The main aim of the RFID tag is to improve operational efficiency while bringing down
deployment cost. One significant benefit of RFID tag is that it does not require line of sight
for application of this technology, which has been a major problem of traditional barcode
technology (Nainan, 2018). It works on principle of wireless communication, hence no
requirement for RFID tag reader to be at the same place where the item is located. Hence, this
technology has potential to improve efficiency of applications where identification of item is
required with appropriate accuracy for ensuring productivity enhancement.
Although previously RFID tags were considered for replacing barcode system in the supply
chain process, over the years as the associated technologies of RFID tags have become more
advanced and productive, application of RFID tags are also expanding. According to
Jechlitschek (2013), one main advantage of RFID tags compared to traditional barcode
system is that it does not require establishing line of sight communication meaning it is
possible to read RFID tags from anywhere through wireless communication. Although
traditionally RFID tags were considering for item level integration, with advancement in this
technology, it is now capable of tracking objects as the objects move, which makes it an ideal
choice for inventory and logistics applications. However, there are still various issues with
this technology, which needs proper assessment for improving this technology.
RFID technology has improved tracking of the object and has enhanced this process, it is
important to identify that there are various security issues that need detailed evaluation. This

tag considers a wireless communication channel for communication between RFID tag reader
and items that contain these tags (Mohite, 2013). Sometimes data transmission between tag
readers and data server is also some through a wireless channel, which increases the chance
of interpreting these easily as wireless communication channels are not often secured and
easy to exploit.
RFID technology is an important technology for implementing various smart applications
such as smart appliances, shopping, inventory management and other industrial applications
as well. However, evaluation of security in this regard is extremely important (Mubarak,
2014). When implementing RFID technology in cloud based solution for increasing
accessibility, there is important to ensure the effective application of the RFID technology.
In order to ensure RFID security, the authors have proposed a solution that works seamlessly
with various interconnected platform. If system verification with system integrity does not
ensure there is the possibility of compromising the security of the RFID system, which might
include the hack of the system data. Hence, it is required to ensure security, trust and privacy
at the same time to ensure overall system security. The authors offer an integrated framework
for deploying the RFID system with hardware simulation and provides a context for
analyzing the system in terms of security, trust and privacy.
One issue for this application and that is transfer of ownership. Previous works that has been
represented is not concerned with this issue and has not integrated transfer of ownership,
especially in context of cloud computing framework. Cao et al. (2016) has provided a cloud-
based RFID OT protocol or CROP for implementing RFID in cloud framework, which
ensures proper ownership transfer. This protocol integrates cloud service and quadratic
residue mechanisms for providing backward untraceablity, forward untraceablity and strong

forward untraceablity properties, which makes it an efficient solution for implementing RFID
technique in cloud base framework.
The integration of RFID with global positioning system has an important role to play in
wireless communication and in mobile commerce as well. According to Masum (2013), it
improves project time and cost for project implementation. This is consistent with
requirement of supply chain management, which helps in manufacturing, and distributing of
goods, materials and logistics in right location in right time. RFID technology reduces time
for tracking products in the supply chain and helps in delivering products without delay and
hence application of RFID technology is widely considered in supply chain and logistics
management. Hence, application of such technology is required to be implemented through
proper identification of issues and it is required to improve them with proper technique.
Organization often find it difficult to manage issues regarding logistics and inventory
management. RFID tag helps to improve this issue as it provides context to have proper
control over the process throughout the supply chain and hence any issue in the supply chain
is easily identified and also easy to modify as well as these problems are identified before it
affects the overall supply chain process (Spekman & Sweeney, 2006). as materials with RFID
tags is easily monitored from anywhere, it is possible to monitor these products whenever
there is any issue regarding products such as products are missing, it is not in the supply
chain at the right time when it is required, or some products are damaged in the inventory
process. Hence, RFID technology is becoming popular in logistic and inventory management.
Requirements of the project:
In accordance with the literature review, the following requirements have been identified in
this report:
 Analysis of RFID security issues

 Design proper algorithm to improve security issue
 Algorithm review
 Comparison of algorithm with existing algorithm
 Propose best algorithm based on that
Problem statement
RFID is one of the wireless technologies that uses radio waves to automatically identify items
within certain proximity level. RFID reader is used to interrogate the zone to discover tags
within proximity of the reader range. Today, RFID is employed in various commercial
sectors that offer automated assistance for mundane tasks. RFID is a data collection approach
that makes use of electronic tags to store required set of data. Along with various positive
aspects, there are various negative aspects associated with the use of RFID technology. RFID
is not a line of sight technology such as bar coding so new security issues might raise for its
users. These security issues can only be resolved with the help of an effective RFID security
framework.

References
Cao, T., Chen, X., Doss, R., Zhai, J., Wise, L., & Zhao, Q. (2016). RFID ownership transfer
protocol based on cloud. Computer Networks, 105, 47-59. doi:
10.1016/j.comnet.2016.05.017
Jannati, H., &Bahrak, B. (2016). Security analysis of an RFID tag search
protocol. Information Processing Letters, 116(10), 618-622. doi:
10.1016/j.ipl.2016.05.001
Jechlitschek, C. (2013). A survey on RFID Trends. Retrieved from
https://www.cse.wustl.edu/~jain/cse574-06/ftp/rfid.pdf
Lee, C., Chen, S., Li, C., Cheng, C., & Lai, Y. (2019). Security enhancement on an RFID
ownership transfer protocol based on cloud. Future Generation Computer
Systems, 93, 266-277. doi: 10.1016/j.future.2018.10.040
Masum, A. (2013). Impact of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Technology on Supply
Chain Efficiency: An Extensive Study. Retrieved from
https://globaljournals.org/GJRE_Volume13/3-Impact-of-Radio-Frequency-
Identification.pdf
Mohite, S. (2013). “RFID Security Issues”. Retrieved
fromhttps://www.ijert.org/research/rfid-security-issues-IJERTV2IS90403.pdf
Mubarak, M. (2014). An Implementation of a Unified Security, Trust and Privacy (STP)
Framework for Future Integrated RFID System. Retrieved
from https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-12778-1_10
Nainan, S. (2018). RFID Technology Based Attendance ManagementSystem. Retrieved from
https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1306/1306.5381.pdf

Spekman, R., & Sweeney, P. (2006). RFID: from concept to implementation. International
Journal Of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 36(10), 736-754. doi:
10.1108/09600030610714571
Tu, Y., Zhou, W., &Piramuthu, S. (2018). A novel means to address RFID tag/item
separation in supply chains. Decision Support Systems, 115, 13-23. doi:
10.1016/j.dss.2018.09.003