CAREER: Computational RFID for Securing Zero-Power Pervasive Devices

这项研究提高了在零功率设备上安全执行通用计算和通信的知识和能力，这些设备依赖于存储在电容器等极小蓄水池中的收集能量。计算型RFID(CRFID)是一种零功率设备，它可以采集射频能量，并承受持续的电源中断。在每秒数量级上完全丢失RAM使得计算检查点的概念成为这种计算模型的基础。一个重要的问题是如何以安全和隐私保护的方式执行有效的计算和检查点。最根本的问题是：如何在零功率设备上继续推进计算？利用计算RFID以能量为中心的特性的检查点策略的探索将为为普及设备设计安全的软件和系统奠定坚实的基础。除了安全和隐私，这项研究试图发现在资源极其有限的设备上，哪些类型的计算问题可以在实际意义上得到解决。虽然实验的重点是计算RFID，但许多技术也将广泛应用于带电池的设备。这项工作的影响将导致在低功耗、不可信的基础设施中提高计算的安全性。预期的结果将在安全、隐私和低功率计算的交叉点发布。潜在的应用包括(1)植入式医疗设备和(2)嵌入到桥梁和道路的混凝土组件中的传感器的改进的安全性和隐私。

This research advances the knowledge and capability for securelyperforming general-purpose computation and communication on zero-powerdevices that rely on harvested energy stored in extremely smallreservoirs such as capacitors. A type of zero-power device,computational RFIDs (CRFIDs) harvest RF energy and endure continualinterruptions to power. Complete loss of RAM on the order of everysecond makes the notion of a computational checkpoint fundamental tothis model of computing. A significant problem is how to performeffective computation and checkpoints in a secure andprivacy-preserving manner. The most fundamental question is: how tosecurely make forward progress of computation on zero-power devices?The exploration of checkpointing strategies that exploit theenergy-centric properties of computational RFIDs will lay a solidfoundation for designing secure software and systems for pervasivedevices. Beyond security and privacy, the research seeks to discoverwhat kinds of computational problems can be solved in a practicalsense on extremely resource-constrained devices. While theexperiments focus on computational RFIDs, many of the techniques willapply broadly to devices with batteries as well.The impact of this work will lead to improved security for computationin low-power, untrusted infrastructure. The expected results will bepublished in venues at the intersection of security & privacy andlow-power computation. Potential applications include improvedsecurity and privacy for (1) implantable medical devices and (2)sensors embedded in concrete components of bridges and roads.