Microcontroller-based Implementation of ParseKey+ for Limited Resources Embedded Applications

ABSTRACT: ParseKey+ is an approach to a new highly secure and safe authentication service. The scheme provides secure authentication process for both client and server sides. It employs hash to hide the encrypted key in a key file retrievable only by the other side knowing the indices and lengths of sub-keys hidden inside ParseKey+ file. The ParseKey+ file itself is also encrypted by the password of the other party in authentication service using a symmetric encryption method. The key file is recreated at each sign-on procedure; it provides an additional security layer beyond using the login password. ParseKey+ avoids client and server impersonations while guaranteeing mutual client/server authentication. Likewise, the ParseKey+ scheme avoids replay, meet-in-the-middle, ciphertext-only, and side-channel attacks. ParseKey+ relies on scattering sub-keys in a block of uniformly created random noise. We wish to implement the ParseKey+ authentication system with limited resources on AVR microcontrollers. More sophisticated versions of these families of microcontrollers are widely used in PDAs, new generation of mobile phones and various embedded devices. Implementation of ParseKey+ allows securing Internet communication and transactions on above-mentioned devices in addition to providing a highly secure mechanism for implementing very low-cost hardware USB keys for online banking applications. Keywords: Microcontroller-based Authentication, Embedded System, ParseKey+ ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………