A Location Based Encryption Technique and Some of Its Applications
A Location Based Encryption Technique and Some of Its Applications
BIOGRAPHY ABSTRACT
Logan Scott is a consultant specializing in radio Location based encryption enhances security by
frequency signal processing and waveform design for integrating position and time into encryption and
communications, navigation, radar, and emitter location. decryption processes. We find that from a security
He has more than 24 years of military GPS systems perspective, it is not enough to simply enable or disable
engineering experience. As a senior member of the decryption based on location and time; these aspects must
technical staff at Texas Instruments, he pioneered be integrated into the key construction process.
approaches for building high-performance, jamming- Furthermore, keys or files in transit should not reveal
resistant digital receivers using large-scale application- anything regarding their locations/times of applicability.
specific integrated circuit (ASIC) technologies. He has After reviewing the objectives of location-based
developed gain and frequency plans, non-uniform encryption, this paper introduces a specific approach
analog/digital conversion techniques, fast acquisition called geo-encryption.
architectures, Baseband signal processing algorithms and
adaptive array approaches. He is currently involved in The described geo-encryption approach builds on
projects to provide location based encryption and established cryptographic algorithms and protocols in a
authentication. He holds 27 US patents. way that provides an additional layer of security beyond
that provided by conventional cryptography. It allows
Dr. Dorothy E. Denning is a founding partner in data to be encrypted for a specific location(s) or for
GeoCodex and a professor in the Department of Defense specific area(s), e.g. a corporation’s campus area.
Analysis at the Naval Postgraduate School. Her current Constraints in time as well as location can also be
work encompasses the areas of cybercrime and enforced. Geo-encryption can be used with both fixed and
cyberterrorism, information warfare and security, and mobile applications and supports a wide range of data
cryptography. She has published 120 articles and four sharing and distribution policies.
books, her most recent being Information Warfare and
Security. She is an ACM Fellow and recipient of several We then discuss a process of applying successive geo-
awards, including the Augusta Ada Lovelace Award and encryptions at the originating node to enforce specific
the National Computer Systems Security Award. In geographic routings for transmission to the final
November 2001, she was named a Time magazine destination node. With each intervening node removing
innovator. Dr. Denning received the B.A. and M.A. one layer of encryption, unless the file has gone through
degrees in mathematics from the University of Michigan the proper sequence of nodes, decryption will fail. Using
and the Ph.D. degree in computer science from Purdue a similar process, messages can be location authenticated
University. She has previously worked at Georgetown by applying one layer of encryption at each intervening
University, Digital Equipment Corporation, SRI node.
International, and Purdue University. She holds 1 US
patent. Next, we discuss some specific applications. In the
civilian sector, there has been a great deal of interest in
providing location-based security for digital cinema
distribution and forensic analysis in cases of piracy. In
this application, the same, large (25 to 190 Gbyte),
encrypted media file might be used at multiple theatre
locations but with distinct GeoLocked keys specific to the
For the military GPS user, we show how individual Geo-encryption builds on established cryptographic
waypoints can be uniquely encrypted so as to be algorithms and protocols in a way that provides an
accessible only when the set is physically within the route additional layer of security beyond that provided by
parameters; both location and time wise. An intact, conventional cryptography. It allows data to be encrypted
captured set would not reveal mission parameters. for a specific place or broad geographic area, and supports
constraints in time as well as space. It can be used with
INTRODUCTION both fixed and mobile applications and supports a range
of data sharing and distribution policies. It provides full
On September 17, 2000, Qualcomm CEO and Chairman protection against attempts to bypass the location feature.
Irwin Jacob’s IBM Thinkpad computer was stolen while Depending on the implementation, it can also provide
he stood a few feet from it. strong protection against location spoofing.
• L0phtCrack obtained 18% of the passwords Location-based encryption can be used to ensure that data
in 10 minutes cannot be decrypted outside a particular facility, for
• 90% of the passwords were recovered within example, the headquarters of a government agency or
48 hours on a Pentium II/300 corporation, or an individual’s office or home.
• The Administrator and most Domain Admin Alternatively, it may be used to confine access to a broad
passwords were cracked” geographic region. Time as well as space constraints may
@stake website advertising their LC4 password be placed on the decryption location.
audit and recovery product
A Short Tutorial On Encryption Algorithms
Government people know better.
Broadly speaking; encryption algorithms can be divided
“The Pentagon is investigating whether into two categories; symmetric algorithms and
ultrasecret "black programs" were compromised asymmetric algorithms. Referring to figure 1, symmetric
by former CIA Director John Deutch after he put algorithms use the same key for encrypting and
details about some of the Defense Department's decrypting plaintext. Numerous, very fast symmetric
most sensitive activities on his home computers.” algorithms are in widespread use including: DES &
Washington Times, 17 February 2000. Triple-DES as described in [1] and the newly released
Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) described in [2].
People tend to be the weakest link in security. Keeping the key private is essential to maintaining
security and therein lays the key question; how to share
On the subject of computer security: “…the keys securely. Numerous techniques have been developed
mathematics are impeccable, the computers are and the interested reader is directed to [3] for further
vincible, the networks are lousy, and the people discussion.
are abysmal.” Bruce Schneier, “Secrets & Lies,
Digital Security in a Networked World
Plaintext
issues by building on established security algorithms and EEA B 8B 2B F E8 205A 7 F 82C 9516 F C 6D 27D D
Latitude
protocols. Referring to figure 4, our approach modifies D 5 88 6 0C E
11A E2637
8 2 D EC E4 1
B 8323B 7F
D 3 A 8 3 78 E
952E357 4
1 27 5 06 C 0
43D 264E8
Recipient
Recipient Location,
Location, Generate
Generate Plaintext
Velocity
Velocity &
& Time
Time Block
Block Random
Random Key
Key F 0 E7 4 52 3 5 D F 41 C 1 7 93 F 3 5 66 1 1 45 2 7F 1D
Encrypt
Encrypt
PVT →
PVT → GeoLock
GeoLock Key_S
Mapping
Mapping ⊕
⊕
e
Key_E m
Ti
GeoLock
Encrypt
Encrypt
GeoEncryption
GeoEncrypted Key Cyphertext Longitude
AntiSpoof
AntiSpoof Enhanced
Enhanced Key_D
Decrypt
Decrypt
GPS
GPS Receiver
Receiver Grid spacing must take into account the accuracy of the
PVT →
PVT → GeoLock
GeoLock ⊕
⊕ Decrypt
Decrypt GPS receiver at the decrypting site; otherwise erroneous
Key_S
Mapping
Mapping GeoLock values may result. It makes no sense to have
Plaintext
GeoDecryption 1cm grid spacing if using a standalone GPS receiver.
Conversely, if using an RTK style receiver capable of
2cm accuracy, 10-meter grid spacing is overly
conservative. Grid spacing may also be wider in the
On the originating (encrypting) side, a GeoLock is
vertical direction to account for poorer vertical
computed based on the intended recipient’s Position,
positioning accuracy typical in most sets because of
Velocity, and Time (PVT) block. The PVT block defines
satellite geometries [5].
where the recipient needs to be in terms of position,
velocity & time for decryption to be successful. The
Figure 6 shows the number of possible grid points on the
GeoLock is then XORed with the session key (Key_S) to
planet as a function of grid spacing, ignoring altitude,
form a GeoLocked session key. The resultant is then
encrypted using an asymmetric algorithm and conveyed time and velocity.
1.E+20
5.1E+18
1.E+16
levels
5.1E+14
• Monitor C/No meter for Consistency/
Earth
1.E+14
5.1E+12 Unexpected C/No given J/N
1.E+12
5.1E+10 • Monitor Phase Difference Between Antenna
1.E+10 Elements (All signals shouldn’t come from the
5.1E+08
1.E+08
same direction)
1000 100 10 1 0.1 0.01 0.001 • Deep Acquisition to Look for Weak, Real
Grid Size (meters)
Signals
A more complete PVT→GeoLock mapping function Numerous navigation checks can also be instituted:
could actually have eight inputs:
• Compare “Watch Time” with “Signals Time”
• Position (East, North, Up) (Most signal generators can’t synchronize with
• Velocity (East, North, Up) GPS time)
• Time • Continuity Checks in Time and Position (There
• Coordinate System Parameters is no hyperspace button in real life)
• Consistency with other Navigation Sensors
The velocity inputs might actually map into a minimum • Large Residuals, Particularly in Differential
speed requirement so as to ensure that the recipient is Correction Channel(s)
actually underway. Including coordinate system • RAIM Type Functions
parameters in the PVT→GeoLock mapping function
provides support for non-stationary reference frames. This With careful attention to detail, civilian sets do not have
feature might be used, for example, in communicating to be as vulnerable to spoofing as most of them are.
with a satellite.
Relay Encryption to Force a Particular Routing & For
The grid could just as well been based on a Military Grid Authentication
Reference System (MGRS) or it’s close cousin UTM. In
fact, any arbitrary shapes could have been used; for Successive Geo-encryption can be used to force data
example the shape of the Disneyland theme park could and/or keys to follow a specific geographical path before
map to a single GeoLock value so as to permit successful it can be decrypted. This is achieved by applying multiple
decryption when located in the theme park but not when geo-locks at the origination node prior to transmittal using
outside. a procedure such as the one shown in figure 7. As each
required node is traversed, one layer of GeoLocking is
Finally, we note that the PVT→GeoLock mapping removed, thus ensuring the desired path has been
function itself may incorporate a hash function or one- followed.
way function with cryptographic aspects in order to
hinder using the GeoLock to obtain PVT block values. Figure 7: Successive GeoLocking to Force A
Similarly, the algorithm may be deliberately slow and Particular Routing
difficult; perhaps based on solving a difficult problem.
Origination Node
A Few Quick Observations On AntiSpoof Receivers RK L1(RK) L2(L1(RK))
L1
L1 L2
L2 L3
L3
Most civilian receivers are trivially simple to spoof;
Key ID Key ID Key ID
simply hook up one of the many excellent signal Valid Times
Receive Location
Valid Times
Receive Location
Valid Times
Receive Location
simulators available and the receiver will buy into
whatever PVT values you want [6]. This is why military
receivers use Y-code; an encrypted version of P-code. L3(L2(L1(RK))) L2(L1(RK)) L1(RK) RK
Unless the spoofer has access to the correct cryptographic U3
U3 U2
U2 U1
U1
keys and knows how to generate Y-code from P-code, it
Key ID Key ID Key ID
can’t spoof the military set. He may be able to jam it, but Secure Time
Secure Position
Secure Time
Secure Position
Secure Time
Secure Position
not spoof it.
{L2A,L3A,L4A} Lock/UnLock
Studio Entity Identifier
Studio Proxy
Proxy (SP)
(SP) Instance
{L1A} {U1A,L0A} L1A
APPLICATIONS EXAMPLES Digital
Cinema L4A(L3A(L2A(L0A)))
Master Post
Post Post
Post
Telecine
Telecine Production
Production Production
Production Distribution
Distribution
{U4A
To show how GeoEncryption can be applied to real world L1A House
House L0A Server
Server Carrier
Carrier Server
Server From SP}