AI Power Unveils ATOM, the First Mutual-Auth Secure Device

AI Power Inc. has announced the launch of “ATOM,” a device that uses a natural physical phenomenon (atomic decay) to create encryption keys that are unpredictable to humans, eliminating the hassle of password management and the threat of information leaks. This device, along with a secure communication protocol based on this technology, addresses the growing sophistication of cybercrime, resulting in an increasing number of unwitting hijackings of not only corporate but also personal computers and smartphones. ATOM is the world’s first* device to generate truly random numbers (true random numbers) that cannot be predicted by calculations, based on alpha particles generated during the natural decay of atomic nuclei. This technology eliminates the need for passwords, makes hacking impossible, and fundamentally neutralizes phishing scams and spoofing, thereby expanding the world’s first* and enables everyone to use online services with peace of mind.

Authentication is essential for network communications, such as online shopping, credit card and bank account payments, international remittances, cryptocurrency transactions, and business-to-business transactions, allowing users (clients) and service providers (servers) to verify each other’s authenticity. A typical authentication method involves sending ID and password information from one party and checking it against information stored on the receiving party. With this method, if a user is somehow redirected to a fake website with an identical homepage when entering their ID and password, they risk entering their real ID and password. ATOM prevents such incorrect entry.

There is also the risk that IDs and passwords may be intercepted during communication and authentication information may be fraudulently obtained. The contents of communications are protected by encryption, but with advances in computing technology and the emergence of quantum computers that far exceed the capabilities of current computers, it has been pointed out that encryption methods (keys) may also be deciphered more quickly in the future. Encryption keys use “random numbers” that appear irregular, but the random numbers commonly used are “pseudo” generated by computers, so it is not possible to completely eliminate the possibility that some pattern will be found and the code will be deciphered.

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To obtain completely irregular “true random numbers*1,” ATOM uses the phenomenon of natural nuclear decay. These truly random numbers are based on “nature’s dice (the movement of atoms)” and cannot be predicted by anyone, and can also be thought of as a “key that is unique in the world.” Furthermore, only encryption using a unique key is transmitted, and the key itself is never sent. Even if communications are intercepted, the attacker will be unable to do anything because a disposable key is used that is used only for that purpose.

In ATOM, the server and client each generate and store genuine random numbers on the chip and verify them to authenticate the authenticity of the communication partner. This prevents phishing and keylogging attacks that use fake servers. Furthermore, by using random numbers generated by both parties for authentication, the user does not need to enter authentication information, and the server and client exchange the exclusive OR of these random numbers, so the same information is only sent once, making it difficult to obtain authentication information by eavesdropping on communications.

AI Power President Shinji Matsuda said, “The significance of this design update is that ATOM does not ‘create random numbers through pseudo-calculation,’ but rather uses natural fluctuations as the source of keys. With this protocol update, we have been able to eliminate the need for password input and biometric authentication. This will make it possible to neutralize attempts to decipher password keys and other information through calculations by utilizing the computational power of quantum computers. We will continue to work to implement countermeasures against hacking and other cyber-attacks in society.”

SOURCE: PRTimes