A secure RFID-based track and trace solution in supply chains

Supply chain traceability and visibility are key concerns for many companies. RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is an enabling technology that allows identification of objects in a fully automated manner via radio waves. The EPCglobal Network is promoting a standardised way for using RFID technology through the use of inexpensive RFID tags and readers, The EPCglobal standard leverages on the pervasive Internet for effective information sharing of tracked items. This paper presents a research effort undertaken to design and develop a secure RFID-based track and trace solution in supply chains, by leveraging on the EPCglobal standard. When a product bearing a RFID tag goes through an EPCglobal-enabled supply chain, all the RFID events are captured and stored on EPCIS servers, which can be shared among other participants in the supply chain in a secured and controlled manner. To address security issues, two levels of security are investigated. One is at lower level, between reader and tag. The other is at higher business level, to control information sharing among participants of a supply chain based on a COT (Circle of Trust) concept. A prototype system is developed and discussed at the end of the paper to demonstrate its viability.