Ultra-secure RF Tags for Safeguards and Security

There are numerous applications where radio-frequency (RFID) tags can play a crucial role in national security and broader applications, including the safeguarding of nuclear materials to prevent proliferation. While some of the key technical challenges (such as performance of tags on metal, communication in harsh environments, radiation hardening, long-range passive RF tags, etc.) have been recently addressed and there have been key innovations at the DOE/NNSA National Laboratories and other commercial entities, important security needs to be incorporated onto these sensors in order to develop secure and reliable end-to-end monitoring systems that meet the strict and peculiar requirements of the DOE/NNSA Safeguards Programs. The overall objective of the proposed work is to develop end-to-end RF tagging/sensor systems that meet ALL important technical requirements of RF tags for safeguard applications. There are two major types of technical requirements for safeguard applications: (1) the environmental requirements, such as tags that are functional on metals; and (2) the security requirements, such as tags that communicate via data authentication. A RFID software simulator was developed and exercised for examination of parameters of interest, including tag-reader range, power levels, and authentication delay impacts. Authentication software and hardware were developed and successfully integrated into a national laboratorys existing UHF RFID tags for safeguarding nuclear materials. The R & amp;D prototype was successfully fielded and demonstrated to the IAEA in Austria with the national laboratory partner. The R & amp;D prototype will be significantly improved into a commercial RFID prototype with strong authentication and encryption. Broader tag performance issues will be improved, including tamper-proofing, enhanced range, packaging, and robustness for user applications. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: The primary payoff of this project, if funded through Phase II and beyond, is the development of improved secure RFID tags for deployment in applications involving the securing of special materials. Besides Safeguards programs in nonproliferation, the use of RF tags in tracking personnel and assets is of interest to DOE, DOD, DHS, and DOT programs. Multiple programs from various government agencies are expected to become users of the product of this project. In addition, the secure use of RFIDs for high-value items (e.g. jewelry, materials, pets, etc.) is a problem of significant interest in the commercial world and these will be pursued.