Enhancing NFC/RFID System Security through Accelerometer-Generated Dynamic Keys

The integration of Near Field Communication (NFC) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems on the Internet of Things (IoT) has become increasingly prevalent in various sectors, from residential automation to government institutions and healthcare facilities. However, this proliferation has raised concerns about individual security and privacy. This work addresses vulnerabilities in these systems, focusing on mitigating eavesdropping and replay attacks. Our solution involves a hardware-encrypted printed circuit board (PCB) that seamlessly integrates AES-128 encryption with a secure element chip and harnesses the power of accelerometers for generating the dynamic keys. The proposed method demonstrates an average encryption time of 17.8 µs and key generation time of 9.3 µs, successfully mitigating 35 out of 37 real-world scenario relay attacks. This solution significantly improves the security framework of NFC and RFID systems, enhancing trust and privacy in everyday technological interactions.