Packaging

SkyeTek Provides Reader-Driven RFID Tag Security Solution

Wednesday 18. June 2008 - Innovative Solution Enables Highest Level of Security and Unprecedented Cost Savings

SkyeTek, Inc., the leading provider of embedded RFID reader technology, continues to provide the highest level of security in the industry while maintaining the lowest cost for customers. While other reader offerings rely on tag manufacturers to provide security for RFID tag memory, SkyeTek supplies advanced RFID readers that implement security onto generic tags, providing immediate cost savings as well as long-term investment protection by allowing customers to switch tags without penalty. This revolutionary approach to tag security allows original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and product designers to control their own security requirements. In addition, with reader-driven security on generic tags, manufacturers can take advantage of encryption without the cost of a proprietary tag.

Some tag manufacturers provide no tag security at all, and the ones that do sell those tags at a premium. As part of a full security solution, SkyeTek supports several proprietary encryption algorithms that are generally tailored to provide enhanced security for specific markets such as ticketing. For most other applications, SkyeTek has eliminated the need to purchase proprietary tags because security can be applied to the memory of tags that otherwise do not support it as a feature. In addition, for those seeking to expand the security of their existing solutions, SkyeTek readers can overlay security on top of existing proprietary tags, thus exponentially thwarting would-be hackers. For example, the security level for AES encryption can be much higher than what is supported by proprietary MIFARE Classic or DESFire. SkyeTek supports standards-based security algorithms, including TDEA and AES ciphers and SHA-2 hashes, which can be applied in addition to proprietary methods, which is especially relevant in light of recent successful hacks on MIFARE Classic.

“Most companies consider security as an afterthought, but at SkyeTek security is a priority and we integrate innovative security capabilities into both HF and UHF readers,” said SkyeTek CEO Rob Balgley. “Companies spend a lot of money purchasing security-enabled RFID tags, but they are looking at only half of the solution. We’ve differentiated ourselves with our advanced reader-driven security model, which provides our customers with state-of-the-art tag security at an unprecedented cost savings. Our technology can be used either to add another layer of security on top of proprietary tags or add a first layer of security to generic tags with user memory.”

Reader-driven security is especially important in the areas of product authentication and consumables authentication, as it allows for anti-cloning and anti-tampering. For example, a reader can enforce tag usage constraints by enforcing expiration dates and limiting the number of times a tag can be read. To prevent counterfeiting and cloning, applying a hash algorithm tied to the tag ID prevents the contents of the tag memory from being cloned or replicated on an unauthorized tag. Most proprietary security-enabled RFID tags are not immune to cloning.