Authenticating Secure Tokens Using Slow Memory Access

Abstract

We present an authentication protocol that allows a token, such as a smart card, to authenticate itself to a back-end trusted computer system through an untrusted reader. This protocol relies on the fact that the token will only respond to queries slowly, and that the token owner will not sit patiently while the reader seems not to be working. This protocol can be used alone, with "dumb" memory tokens or with processor-based tokens.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1999
Accession Number
ADA389552

Entities

People

  • Bruce Schneier
  • John Kelsey

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Cyber
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Authentication
  • Classification
  • Computer Access Control
  • Computers
  • Cryptography
  • Engineering
  • Information Assurance
  • Information Operations
  • Information Security
  • Memory Devices
  • Mobile Phones
  • Monitoring
  • Physical Security
  • Reverse Engineering
  • Security
  • Security Protocols

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Cybersecurity.
  • Educational Psychology
  • Parallel and Distributed Computing.