Comparative Analysis of RFID and NFC Devices

Abstract

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Near-Field Communication (NFC) are examples of secure wireless technologies. An NFC device is a subset of RFID technology that functions similarly but can also act as a reader. This enables two-way communication between two NFC devices. These wireless devices are inexpensive to manufacture, and their ease of use allows them to be utilized for many situations. The distinguishing factor between these devices is the security, compatibility, and the range at which they communicate. It is well known that the security elements in most RFID cards utilize AES, DES, and proprietary Crypto-1 encryption. This encryption is the primary factor against attacks. However, older forum types are well known to be easily defeated. One method in which we can test this is by attacking the older NFC equipped cards and comparing their security against more recent forum types. This will be a test for real world scenarios as attackers can utilize wireless transmissions and potentially steal data without being detected. With the growing number of RFID objects and the abundance of smart devices, the security of these technologies may be at risk. The purpose of this paper is to explore the security of RFID and its standards as well as assess the different architecture and communication protocols of those devices. Recommendations for different tags will be proposed based on their ideal use-case, the standard of communication, and the encryption it uses.