innoappsindia-smart-certificate-whitepaper

The Degree Certificate awarded by a University is an asset of prime importance in an individual’s life. Circulation of fake degree certificates is a menace to the society, and a threat to the integrity of both the certificate holder and the educational institution that has awarded the certificate. Hence, there is a pressing need for universities to adopt a process that can ensure security of information and authenticity of the certificate issued. INNO APPS INDIA, SmartCERTIFICATE, a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) based solution, enables universities to curb the problem of fake degree certificates and forgery of mark sheets. Using SmartCERTIFICATE, a university can award certificates with an embedded RFID tag that is encoded with the holder’s name, date of graduation, type of degree and entire transcript, photograph and biometrics (fingerprints), all digitally signed by the university authorities. SmartCERTIFICATE also enables potential employers, foreign embassies, other universities and other stakeholders to read the data embedded in the RFID tag using an interrogator, and to verify the identity of the certificate holder and authenticity of the certificate.

Inno Apps India, Plot No. 74, Kavuri Hills, Amar Co-Operative Society,

Madhapur, Hyderabad - 500081. Andhra Pradesh, India, Ph: +91.40.65244446

[email protected]

http://innoappsindia.com

INTRODUCTION

Universities across the world face ever increasing challenges in discharging their role as providers and

enablers of higher education. One of the serious challenges faced by them is the circulation of fake or

duplicate degree certificates.

Besides, factors such as very high student strength and overworked staff make physical issuance and

verification of degree certificates cumbersome and time consuming. Higher education services are now

sought by larger segments of the global population, and students, employers and other stakeholders expect

that the menace of fake or duplicate degree certificates is eradicated. INNO APPS INDIA recognized that

digitization of the certificate issuing process, and securing the certificate holder’s information were the two

key aspects that would enable universities to curb the problem. INNO APPS INDIA also recognized that the

main challenge lay in developing a system that would technology-enable the existing process; would

address the existing lacunae; while retaining, if not reinforcing, the end objectives of the process.

To enable universities to address this menace, INNO APPS INDIA developed SmartCERTIFICATE, a

system based on Radio Frequency identification (RFID). Combined with the fingerprint authentication

and digital encryption technology, SmartCERTIFICATE brings in greater reliability, robustness and

security in the existing process of degree certificates issue to university students.

INNO APPS INDIA has successfully implemented SmartCERTIFICATE at the University of VIGNAN,

India, where RFID based degree certificates are being issued since 2012.


Madhapur, Hyderabad - 500081. Andhra Pradesh, India, Ph:

+91.40.65244446 [email protected]


ABOUT RFID

Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) uses radio frequency waves to transfer data between

a reader and a moveable item which is tagged, to identify, categorize and track the item. It is

fast, reliable, and does not require contact between reader/scanner and the tagged item.

RFID provides a wireless, over-the-air interface. Unlike bar codes, line-of-sight

communication is not necessary. RFID uses an integrated microchip and antenna that reads

information. The combination of the chip and antenna is called an RFID transponder, tag or

inlet. When the RFID transponder is placed in the field of an RFID reader, information is

transmitted to the reader and processed by a computer.

Originally adopted during World War II to identify `friendly' aircraft, RFID has proliferated into

other application areas such as toll payment, supply chain management, cashless payment,

ticketing, brand authentication, security access, patron identification and amusement parks.

Today, RFID is used, or is proposed to be used, in virtually every sector of human activity -

from tracking animals, tagging new born babies with their mothers, controlling access,

managing inventory and assets, and many more. The return on investment (ROI) with RFID

is a well-established fact that has been validated in various scenarios.

RFID offers the following benefits:

Identification without visual contact

Read/write capability

Cluster reading

Secure communication

Withstanding harsh industrial environment

Reliability and speed





Reusability

Smart CERTIFICATE from INNO APPS

SmartCERTIFICATE enables universities and other educational institutions to award degree

certificates with an embedded passive 13.56 MHz RFID tag, complying with the ISO 14443A

standard. Each tag has 4-8 kilobytes of memory and is encoded with the certificate holder’s

name, date of graduation, type of degree and entire transcript, photograph and the

biometrics (fingerprints), all digitally signed by the university authorities.

The RFID-tagged certificate is an authentic representation of the student’s

educational qualification and credibility, certified by the university.

The entire system can be summarized in 3 simple steps, Enrolment, Personalization and

Verification:

Enrolment of students (including collection of fingerprints) is done at all the affiliated

colleges of the university where students seek admission.

Personalization is done at the university where the authorities electronically

personalize the degree certificates in a secure environment and digitally sign using a

digital certificate issued to the university.

Verification is done by 3rd parties, such as future employers, universities where the

students seek admission for higher education or embassies/consulates of foreign

countries, etc.





The following figure illustrates the process of Enrolment, Personalization and Verification.

The system incorporates the following:

A passive HF RFID chip is embedded between two sheets of the degree certificate

and the human readable data content is printed on the surface. The certificate has

the capability of storing the fingerprints of the student along with other information.

RFID readers/writers for reading or writing from RFID chips affixed inside degree

certificates.

Biometric (fingerprint) enrolment application together with the required hardware is

installed at the affiliated colleges of the university to enroll students. This application

captures the fingerprints (preferably 2 per student) along with demographic

information of the student, and verifies through 1:1 matching.

Personalization application is used for:

viewing student records

digitally signing the students record (personal information, marks obtained

and fingerprints)

electronically personalizing the RFID chip with the digitally signed student

information (encrypted data), using a suitable RFID reader/writer





Reading / verifying the contents of the personalized RFID chip and providing

enquiry facilities regarding the status of the degree certificate.

This application also enables other functions like, certificate cancellation,

certificate reissuance, data verification of degree certificates at the universities

before and after issuance to students and generating reports.

Verification application enables third parties such as future employers, universities

where the students seek admission for higher education or embassies/consulates of

foreign countries, etc to verify the contents of the degree certificate. The contents are

read with an RFID reader using the Public Key of the university digital certificate to

decrypt the chip contents and produce the student data in a readable form. The

application also provides fingerprint verification for 1:1 match between the student

fingerprints templates stored inside the chip and the live fingerprint captured.

Upon accepting a job, a graduate can present the RFID tagged degree certificate to an

employer. The employer can log onto a INNO APPS PORTAL / University portal which is

indicated on the back of the certificate, download the INNO APPS software necessary to

read the encrypted data on the certificate chip, and utilize an RFID reader to read the tag

and download its data. This information can then be used to verify the identity of the new

employee.





Combined with the latest advances in fingerprint authentication and digital encryption

technologies, SmartCERTIFICATE brings in greater reliability, robustness and security in the

existing system of degree certificate issuance.

SmartCERTIFICATE provides many benefits to all stakeholders such as students,

universities, potential employers and other organization’s:

Enables embedding of authentic information in the degree certificates to curb

duplication and fake certificate circulation

Provides greater security and thereby enhances the reliability of the university

education system

Provides reliable and easy access to information when needed





INNO APPS INDIA –SMART CERTIFICATE, Hyderabad, India

INNO APPS INDIA is an IT services, business

solutions and outsourcing organization that delivers

real results to global businesses, ensuring a level

of certainty no other firm can match. INN APPS

offers a consulting-led, integrated portfolio of IT

and IT-enabled services delivered through its

unique Global Network Delivery Model , recognized

as the benchmark of excellence in software

development.

For more information, visit us at

www.innoappsindia.com

CONTACT To know more about INNO APPS INDIA SmartCERTIFICATE and other such innovative solutions from the INNO APPS, Hyderabad, India. contact [email protected]

http://www.innoappsindia.com/

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