Highly Trustworthy In-Sensor Cryptography for Image Encryption and Authentication.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Cryptography
• Internet of Things Security

Background:

• Secure image transmission over the Internet of Things (IoT) is critical.
• Current methods separate image capture and security modules, creating vulnerabilities during data transmission.
• Need for integrated, highly secure solutions for IoT image data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop in-sensor cryptography for simultaneous image capture and security key generation.
• To enhance the trustworthiness and security of image data in IoT environments.
• To create a robust system resistant to passive attacks and unauthorized modifications.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a 256 molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) phototransistor array.
• Harvested electronic and optoelectronic binary keys using the array's intrinsic properties.
• Implemented a physically unclonable function (PUF) for key generation.
• Upgraded keys to multiple-state ternary and double-binary formats.

Main Results:

• Achieved in-sensor cryptography by integrating image capture and key generation.
• Generated keys inherently bound to captured images, ensuring high trustworthiness.
• Demonstrated keys with high uniformity, uniqueness, randomness, and coding capacity.
• Validated the system for secure image encryption and authentication.

Conclusions:

• In-sensor cryptography offers a paradigm shift for secure IoT image transmission.
• The MoS2 phototransistor array enables robust and unique key generation.
• This technology provides enhanced protection against data interception and tampering.