SecureRF Corporation recently launched a battery-assisted passive tag that uses SecureRF's breakthrough in security technology that authenticates and encrypts data communications.The new solution offers tamper-proof data storage on the tag, and ensures privacy by allowing only authorized readers access to the important information. The LIME Tag will also help pharmaceutical manufacturers and other cold chain distributors track and monitor product temperature history.

Louis Parks, founder and CEO of SecureRF, stated the following about the LIME Tag(TM) with Onboard Security(TM) and cold chain management features: "We are very excited to release our EPCglobal Gen 2 tag that delivers the much-needed security demanded by many high value supply chains today. Unlike other solutions in the industry that simply put encrypted data on a tag, making them easily copied or cloned, our technology makes the tag an active participant in authenticating and protecting its contents."

In addition Michael Liard, research director, RFID and contactless, ABI Research, said: "We see a growing need for strong RFID security solutions in several areas including high value supply chain, asset management and border security, and SecureRF's linear-based technology is one of the few solutions responding to that need today."

The LIghtweight Multistream Encryption Tag (LIME Tag) is based on SecureRF and industry standard security protocols. SecureRF's solutions include integration technology that allows its tags to be used with most of today's Gen 2 compliant readers without the need for firmware upgrades. This will allow currently deployed systems to easily upgrade to a fully secured supply chain with little cost or change to their current network.

Formerly a lead RFID chip designer at Alien Technology Corp. and one of the industry's foremost RFID chip engineers, Mike McGregor is in charge of creating the new LIME Tag. SecureRF's founders include three world-class mathematicians/cryptographers who developed the cryptographic algorithm.

The engine within the SecureRF security solutions supports a wide range of cryptographic functions:

- Authentication: Enables validation of the tag and the reader to confirm identity. Message authentication codes and digital signatures can be used to ensure data integrity against modification or forging.
- Additional Security: Key agreement protocols, hash functions, and stream ciphers
- Encryption and Decryption: A type of data protection that employs the process of obscuring information to make it unreadable without special knowledge. Encrypting the data on the tag, with a key management protocol, allows trusted readers to read the data.
- Secured, Unencrypted Tag Data: Data on the tag remains unencrypted, whilst a trust/policy layer maintains security—only transmitting it over a secured transport layer when in communication with cryptographically-authenticated trusted parties.
- Data Protection: Secures the entire data stream that is being carried, including the commands and information.