6 research outputs found
Photonic Physical Unclonable Functions: From the Concept to Fully Functional Device Operating in the Field
The scope of this paper is to demonstrate a fully working and compact
photonic Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) device capable of operating in real
life scenarios as an authentication mechanism and random number generator. For
this purpose, an extensive experimental investigation of a Polymer Optical
Fiber (POF) and a diffuser as PUF tokens is performed and the most significant
properties are evaluated using the proper mathematical tools. Two different
software algorithms, the Random Binary Method (RBM) and Singular Value
Decomposition (SVD), were tested for optimized key extraction and error
correction codes have been incorporated for enhancing key reproducibility. By
taking into consideration the limitations and overall performance derived by
the experimental evaluation of the system, the designing details towards the
implementation of a miniaturized, energy efficient and low-cost device are
extensively discussed. The performance of the final device is thoroughly
evaluated, demonstrating a long-term stability of 1 week, an operating
temperature range of 50C, an exponentially large pool of unique
Challenge-Response Pairs (CRPs), recovery after power failure and capability of
generating NIST compliant true random numbers
Photonic Physical Unclonable Functions: From the Concept to Fully Functional Device Operating in the Field
The scope of this paper is to demonstrate a fully working and compact
photonic Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) device capable of operating
in real life scenarios as an authentication mechanism and random number
generator. For this purpose, an extensive experimental investigation of
a Polymer Optical Fiber (POF) and a diffuser as PUF tokens is performed
and the most significant properties are evaluated using the proper
mathematical tools. Two different software algorithms, the Random Binary
Method (RBM) and Singular Value Decomposition (SVD), were tested for
optimized key extraction and error correction codes have been
incorporated for enhancing key reproducibility. By taking into
consideration the limitations and overall performance derived by the
experimental evaluation of the system, the designing details towards the
implementation of a miniaturized, energy efficient and low-cost device
are extensively discussed. The performance of the final device is
thoroughly evaluated, demonstrating a long-term stability of 1 week, an
operating temperature range of 5 degrees C, an exponentially large pool
of unique Challenge-Response Pairs (CRPs), recovery after power failure
and capability of generating NIST compliant true random numbers
Random number generation from a secure photonic physical unclonable hardware module
In this work, a photonic physical unclonable function module, based on an optical waveguide, is demonstrated. The physical scrambling mechanism is based on the random and complex coherent interference of high order optical transverse modes. The proposed scheme allows the generation of random bit- strings, through a simple wavelength tuning of the laser source, that are suitable for a variety of cryptographic applications. The experimental data are evaluated in terms of unpredictability, employing typical information theory benchmark tests and the NIST statistical suit. © 2018, The Author(s)
Optical PUFs as physical root of trust for blockchain-driven applications
In an environment where cyber attacks are increasing, both in frequency and complexity, novel ways to shield data, users, and procedures have to be envisioned. Physical unclonable functions (PUFs) are the physical equivalent of one-way mathematical transformations with the exception that their inherent physical complexity renders them resilient to cloning. One interesting deployment scenario includes PUFs as random key generators. The deterministic nature of their operation alleviates the necessity to store the keys in non-volatile means. Along the same lines, blockchain is inherently resistant to modification of the data once stored while their overall security depends on the quality and secrecy of users' keys. Here, the authors propose a novel optical PUF implementation that can be combined with private blockchain modalities in order to cyber-harden Internet of things ecosystems. PUF-related experimental results are presented, alongside implementation scenarios. © 2018 The Institution of Engineering and Technology
Physical Unclonable Function based on a Multi-Mode Optical Waveguide
Physical unclonable functions are the physical equivalent of one-way mathematical transformations that, upon external excitation, can generate irreversible responses. Exceeding their mathematical counterparts, their inherent physical complexity renders them resilient to cloning and reverse engineering. When these features are combined with their time-invariant and deterministic operation, the necessity to store the responses (keys) in non-volatile means can be alleviated. This pivotal feature, makes them critical components for a wide range of cryptographic-authentication applications, where sensitive data storage is restricted. In this work, a physical unclonable function based on a single optical waveguide is experimentally and numerically validated. The system's responses consist of speckle-like images that stem from mode-mixing and scattering events of multiple guided transverse modes. The proposed configuration enables the system's response to be simultaneously governed by multiple physical scrambling mechanisms, thus offering a radical performance enhancement in terms of physical unclonability compared to conventional optical implementations. Additional features like physical re-configurability, render our scheme suitable for demanding authentication applications. © 2018 The Author(s)