TWC: Small: Secure Near Field Communications between Mobile Devices

据估计，到本世纪末，物联网（IoT）将连接多达500亿台设备。近场通信（NFC）被认为是物联网的关键推动因素。NFC支持非接触式支付、身份识别、认证、文件交换、电子医疗等多种应用。然而，由于NFC设备资源有限、NFC系统部署不安全、对手复杂，因此保护移动的设备间的NFC安全面临巨大挑战。本项目研究了三种保护NFC安全的技术：（1）通过利用NFC设备的全双工能力的节能和快速密钥协商机制;（2）RF信号随机化，以在没有预共享密钥的情况下提供NFC机密性;以及（3）利用磁感测防御中继攻击的邻近验证机制。与传统的Diffie-Hellman密钥协商协议相比，这些技术有望显著提高密钥生成速率，降低能耗，实现高安全性和可用性。通过理论分析、数值模拟、试验台实验和用户研究，对这些技术进行评估，并在不同的系统设置和条件下与传统安全机制进行比较，推动物联网应用中移动的网络轻量级、节能、实用安全机制的研究。该研究对于移动的支付和访问控制等重要应用具有一定的应用价值。研究生，本科生，少数民族和高中学生将积极参与拟议的研究。新成立的网络安全工程（CYSE）在乔治梅森大学的BS程序将通过这个项目丰富。该项目的材料将以教程、讲座、出版物和软件工具包的形式在网上提供。

By the end of this decade, it is estimated that Internet of Things (IoT) could connect as many as 50 billion devices. Near Field Communication (NFC) is considered as a key enabler of IoT. Many useful applications are supported by NFC, including contactless payment, identification, authentication, file exchange, and eHealthcare, etc. However, securing NFC between mobile devices faces great challenges mainly because of severe resource constraints on NFC devices, NFC systems deployed without security, and sophisticated adversaries.This project investigates three techniques to secure NFC: (1) energy-efficient and fast key agreement mechanisms by exploiting full-duplex capability of NFC devices; (2) RF signal randomization to provide NFC confidentiality without a pre-shared key; and (3) a proximity verification mechanism defending against relay attacks utilizing magnetic sensing. These techniques are expected to significantly improve the key generation rate and reduce energy consumption compared with the conventional Diffie-Hellman key agreement protocol, and achieve high security and usability. These proposed techniques will be evaluated through theoretical analysis, numeric simulation, testbed experiments, and user study, and compared with conventional security mechanisms under different system settings and conditions.The proposed project will advance research on lightweight, energy-efficient, and usable security mechanisms in mobile networks for IoT applications. The research is applicable to important applications, such as mobile payment and access control. Graduate, undergraduate, minority, and high school students will be actively involved into the proposed research. The newly established Cyber Security Engineering (CYSE) BS program at George Mason University will be enriched through this project. Materials of this project will be made available online in the forms of tutorials, talks, publications, and software toolkits.