Using physical unclonable functions for internet-of-thing security cameras

This paper proposes a low-cost solution to develop IoT security cameras. Integrity and confidentiality of the image data are achieved by cryptographic modules that implement symmetric key-based techniques which are usually available in the hardware of the IoT cameras. The novelty of this proposal is that the secret key required is not stored but reconstructed from the start-up values of a SRAM in the camera hardware acting as a PUF (Physical Unclonable Function), so that the physical authenticity of the camera is also ensured. The start-up values of the SRAM are also exploited to change the IV (Initialization Vector) in the encryption algorithm. All the steps for enrollment and normal operation can be included in a simple firmware to be executed by the camera. There is no need to include specific hardware but only a SRAM is needed which could be powered down and up by firmware.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad del Gobierno de España y fondos europeos FEDER-TEC2014-57971-RConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-HW-SEEDS 201750E010V Plan Propio de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevill

Design of hardware-based security solutions for interconnected systems

Among all the different research lines related to hardware security, there is a particular topic that strikingly attracts attention. That topic is the research regarding the so-called Physical Unclonable Functions (PUF). The PUFs, as can be seen throughout the Thesis, present the novel idea of connecting digital values uniquely to a physical entity, just as human biometrics does, but with electronic devices. This beautiful idea is not free of obstacles, and is the core of this Thesis. It is studied from different angles in order to better understand, in particular, SRAM PUFs, and to be able to integrate them into complex systems that expand their potential. During Chapter 1, the PUFs, their properties and their main characteristics are defined. In addition, the different types of PUFs, and their main applications in the field of security are also summarized. Once we know what a PUF is, and the types of them we can find, throughout Chapter 2 an exhaustive analysis of the SRAM PUFs is carried out, given the wide availability of SRAMs today in most electronic circuits (which dramatically reduces the cost of deploying any solution). An algorithm is proposed to improve the characteristics of SRAM PUFs, both to generate identifiers and to generate random numbers, simultaneously. The results of this Chapter demonstrates the feasibility of implementing the algorithm, so in the following Chapters it is explored its integration in both hardware and software systems. In Chapter 3 the hardware design and integration of the algorithm introduced in Chapter 2 is described. The design is presented together with some examples of use that demonstrate the possible practical realizations in VLSI designs. In an analogous way, in Chapter 4 the software design and integration of the algorithm introduced in Chapter 2 is described. The design is presented together with some examples of use that demonstrate the possible practical realizations in low-power IoT devices. The algorithm is also described as part of a secure firmware update protocol that has been designed to be resistant to most current attacks, ensuring the integrity and trustworthiness of the updated firmware.In Chapter 5, following the integration of PUF-based solutions into protocols, PUFs are used as part of an authentication protocol that uses zero-knowledge proofs. The cryptographic protocol is a Lattice-based post-quantum protocol that guarantees the integrity and anonymity of the identity generated by the PUF. This type of architecture prevents any type of impersonation or virtual copy of the PUF, since this is unknown and never leaves the device. Specifically, this type of design has been carried out with the aim of having traceability of identities without ever knowing the identity behind, which is very interesting for blockchain technologies. Finally, in Chapter 6 a new type of PUF, named as BPUF (Behavioral and Physical Unclonable Function), is proposed and analyzed according to the definitions given in Chapter 1. This new type of PUF significantly changes the metrics and concepts to which we were used to in previous Chapters. A new multi-modal authentication protocol is presented in this Chapter, taking advantage of the challenge-response tuples of BPUFs. An example of BPUFs is illustrated with SRAMs. A proposal to integrate the BPUFs described in Chapter 6 into the protocol of Chapter 5, as well as the final remarks of the Thesis, can be found in Chapter 7

Trusted Cameras on Mobile Devices Based on SRAM Physically Unclonable Functions

Nowadays, there is an increasing number of cameras placed on mobile devices connected to the Internet. Since these cameras acquire and process sensitive and vulnerable data in applications such as surveillance or monitoring, security is essential to avoid cyberattacks. However, cameras on mobile devices have constraints in size, computation and power consumption, so that lightweight security techniques should be considered. Camera identification techniques guarantee the origin of the data. Among the camera identification techniques, Physically Unclonable Functions (PUFs) allow generating unique, distinctive and unpredictable identifiers from the hardware of a device. PUFs are also very suitable to obfuscate secret keys (by binding them to the hardware of the device) and generate random sequences (employed as nonces). In this work, we propose a trusted camera based on PUFs and standard cryptographic algorithms. In addition, a protocol is proposed to protect the communication with the trusted camera, which satisfies authentication, confidentiality, integrity and freshness in the data communication. This is particularly interesting to carry out camera control actions and firmware updates. PUFs from Static Random Access Memories (SRAMs) are selected because cameras typically include SRAMs in its hardware. Therefore, additional hardware is not required and security techniques can be implemented at low cost. Experimental results are shown to prove how the proposed solution can be implemented with the SRAM of commercial Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) chips included in the communication module of the camera. A proof of concept shows that the proposed solution can be implemented in low-cost cameras.España, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación TEC2014-57971-R TEC2017-83557-

Secure Code Updates for Smart Embedded Devices based on PUFs

Code update is a very useful tool commonly used in low-end embedded devices to improve the existing functionalities or patch discovered bugs or vulnerabilities. If the update protocol itself is not secure, it will only bring new threats to embedded systems. Thus, a secure code update mechanism is required. However, existing solutions either rely on strong security assumptions, or result in considerable storage and computation consumption, which are not practical for resource-constrained embedded devices (e.g., in the context of Internet of Things). In this work, we propose to use intrinsic device characteristics (i.e., Physically Unclonable Functions or PUF) to design a practical and lightweight secure code update scheme. Our scheme can not only ensure the freshness, integrity, confidentiality and authenticity of code update, but also verify that the update is installed correctly on a specific device without any malicious software. Cloned or counterfeit devices can be excluded as the code update is bound to the unpredictable physical properties of underlying hardware. Legitimate devices in an untrustworthy software state can be restored by filling suspect memory with PUF-derived random numbers. After update installation, the initiator of the code update is able to obtain the verifiable software state from device, and the device can maintain a sustainable post-update secure check by enforcing a secure call sequence. To demonstrate the practicality and feasibility, we also implement the proposed scheme on a low-end MCU platform (TI MSP430) by using onboard SRAM and Flash resources

IoTsafe, Decoupling Security from Applications for a Safer IoT

The use of robust security solutions is a must for the Internet of Things (IoT) devices and their applications: regulators in different countries are creating frameworks for certifying those devices with an acceptable security level. However, even for already certified devices, security protocols have to be updated when a breach is found or a certain version becomes obsolete. Many approaches for securing IoT applications are nowadays based on the integration of a security layer [e.g., using transport layer security, (TLS)], but this may result in difficulties when upgrading the security algorithms, as the whole application has to be updated. This fact may shorten the life of IoT devices. As a way to overcome these difficulties, this paper presents IoTsafe, a novel approach relying on secure socket shell (SSH), a feasible alternative to secure communications in IoT applications based on hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP and HTTP/2). In order to illustrate its advantages, a comparison between the traditional approach (HTTP with TLS) and our scheme (HTTP with SSH) is performed over low-power wireless personal area networks (6loWPAN) through 802.15.4 interfaces. The results show that the proposed approach not only provides a more robust and easy-To-update solution, but it also brings an improvement to the overall performance in terms of goodput and energy consumption. Core server stress tests are also presented, and the server performance is also analyzed in terms of RAM consumption and escalation strategies

On Information-centric Resiliency and System-level Security in Constrained, Wireless Communication

The Internet of Things (IoT) interconnects many heterogeneous embedded devices either locally between each other, or globally with the Internet. These things are resource-constrained, e.g., powered by battery, and typically communicate via low-power and lossy wireless links. Communication needs to be secured and relies on crypto-operations that are often resource-intensive and in conflict with the device constraints. These challenging operational conditions on the cheapest hardware possible, the unreliable wireless transmission, and the need for protection against common threats of the inter-network, impose severe challenges to IoT networks. In this thesis, we advance the current state of the art in two dimensions. Part I assesses Information-centric networking (ICN) for the IoT, a network paradigm that promises enhanced reliability for data retrieval in constrained edge networks. ICN lacks a lower layer definition, which, however, is the key to enable device sleep cycles and exclusive wireless media access. This part of the thesis designs and evaluates an effective media access strategy for ICN to reduce the energy consumption and wireless interference on constrained IoT nodes. Part II examines the performance of hardware and software crypto-operations, executed on off-the-shelf IoT platforms. A novel system design enables the accessibility and auto-configuration of crypto-hardware through an operating system. One main focus is the generation of random numbers in the IoT. This part of the thesis further designs and evaluates Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) to provide novel randomness sources that generate highly unpredictable secrets, on low-cost devices that lack hardware-based security features. This thesis takes a practical view on the constrained IoT and is accompanied by real-world implementations and measurements. We contribute open source software, automation tools, a simulator, and reproducible measurement results from real IoT deployments using off-the-shelf hardware. The large-scale experiments in an open access testbed provide a direct starting point for future research

Cybercrimes in Southern Nigeria and survey of IoT implications

This study comprises of a survey on the cybercrime situational awareness in the southern part of Nigeria and the readiness for IoT implications resulting from the challenges of IoT technology adoption for consumer and industrial use cases. We considered cybercrimes in the forms of identity theft, data theft, false alert, dating and romance scam and online shopping scam. The analysis shows among others, 84% of involvement in identity theft and 20% of involvement in data theft with the mode operation being highest through web-based applications. Although cybercriminals are yet to fully utilize the vast potentials of emerging IoT technology and their vulnerability to commit cybercrimes in the region, the rate is on the increase. Also presented is a generic background study on IoT security concerning device capabilities, threat landscape, policy frameworks and applications from which cybercrime trend mitigations and recommendations to reduce the impending dangers of IoT cybercrimes were proposed