Diffusion-Confusion Based Light-Weight Security for Item-RFID Tag-Reader Communication

In this paper we propose a challenge-response protocol called: DCSTaR, which takes a novel approach to solve security issues that are specific to low-cost item-RFID tags. Our DCSTaR protocol is built upon light-weight primitives such as 16 bit: Random Number Generator, Exclusive-OR, and Cyclic Redundancy Check and utilizing these primitives it also provides a simple Diffusion-Confusion cipher to encrypt the challenge and response from the tag to the RFID reader. As a result our protocol achieves RFID tag-reader-server mutual authentication, communicating-data confidentiality and integrity, secure key-distribution and key-protection. It also provides an efficient way for consumers to verify whether tagged items are genuine or fake and to protect consumers' privacy while carrying tagged items.