Chapter 6
Ultra-lightweight Authentication
Xavier Carpent, Paolo D’Arco, and Roberto De Prisco
Abstract In this chapter we provide a critical look at the state of the art in
ultra-lightweight authentication protocols. We start by outlining the features of the
current ubiquitous and pervasive computing environment that have motivated the
development of the ultra-lightweight paradigm which uses only basic arithmetic
and logical operations. We emphasize its goals and its main challenges. Then, we
focus our attention on the authentication problem. We use an abstract framework
for modeling the protocols proposed over the years, in order to discuss their design
strategies and the security and privacy properties they aim to achieve. After that, we
survey the weaknesses and the common pitfalls in both the design and the analysis
of ultra-lightweight authentication protocols. Finally, we conclude the chapter by
discussing some fundamental ideas and research directions.
6.1 Introduction
6.1.1 A Fully Connected World of Small Devices
Small and inexpensive devices are becoming increasingly important in today’s
technological infrastructures. Modern computing paradigms, pervasive in nature,
involve methods for monitoring the status of physical objects, capturing meaningful data, and communicating the data through network channels to processing
servers. In many cases, the endpoint elements of connected systems are small and
inexpensive devices attached to physical objects. These devices carry identifying
information, and are used to achieve certain functionalities: to open and lock doors,
control a heating system, catalog items in a shopping basket, identify objects,
X. Carpent
University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
P. D’Arco · R. D. Prisco ()
University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy
e-mail: robdep@unisa.it
© The Author(s) 2021
G. Avoine, J. Hernandez-Castro (eds.), Security of Ubiquitous Computing Systems,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-10591-4_6
99
Ultra-lightweight Authentication
Xavier Carpent, Paolo D’Arco, and Roberto De Prisco
Abstract In this chapter we provide a critical look at the state of the art in
ultra-lightweight authentication protocols. We start by outlining the features of the
current ubiquitous and pervasive computing environment that have motivated the
development of the ultra-lightweight paradigm which uses only basic arithmetic
and logical operations. We emphasize its goals and its main challenges. Then, we
focus our attention on the authentication problem. We use an abstract framework
for modeling the protocols proposed over the years, in order to discuss their design
strategies and the security and privacy properties they aim to achieve. After that, we
survey the weaknesses and the common pitfalls in both the design and the analysis
of ultra-lightweight authentication protocols. Finally, we conclude the chapter by
discussing some fundamental ideas and research directions.
6.1 Introduction
6.1.1 A Fully Connected World of Small Devices
Small and inexpensive devices are becoming increasingly important in today’s
technological infrastructures. Modern computing paradigms, pervasive in nature,
involve methods for monitoring the status of physical objects, capturing meaningful data, and communicating the data through network channels to processing
servers. In many cases, the endpoint elements of connected systems are small and
inexpensive devices attached to physical objects. These devices carry identifying
information, and are used to achieve certain functionalities: to open and lock doors,
control a heating system, catalog items in a shopping basket, identify objects,
X. Carpent
University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
P. D’Arco · R. D. Prisco ()
University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy
e-mail: robdep@unisa.it
© The Author(s) 2021
G. Avoine, J. Hernandez-Castro (eds.), Security of Ubiquitous Computing Systems,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-10591-4_6
99