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Businesses, universities, hospitals and, increasingly, private households are using locking systems to manage physical access and make it more secure or ‘smarter’. These are no longer simple locks that only work with the right keys, but sophisticated keyless solutions that grant access to different users at different times.
Regardless of whether such electronic locking systems are taken into account at the planning stage or are retrofitted – in some cases involving considerable expense for power supply and network connectivity – they have, to date, always shared a serious vulnerability that can pose a risk: Every smart lock is linked, either directly or indirectly, to a web service provided by the respective manufacturer. If the service – or indeed the entire manufacturer – fails, the systems are virtually rendered inoperable and must be replaced entirely. Dependence on a single manufacturer and the level of trust required for such sensitive data are particularly critical in times of (geo-)political uncertainty.
This is where Chainlock is the key to greater independence and security. In the BMBF-funded project “Chainlock – Blockchain-based, smart locking systems”, scientists at the BCCM at HSMW, led by Professor Matthias Vodel, have spent the past two years working alongside specialists from ABUS in Pfaffenhain, Saxony, to develop a locking system that, if required, functions securely whilst remaining completely independent of manufacturer-specific cloud providers. Blockchain technologies enable several innovative features for verifying the authenticity and integrity of authorisations and access rights.
Much more than a conventional research finding
Professor Vodel and his team have now unveiled a fully functional hardware prototype that is fully compatible with standard industry-standard housings, meaning it can be easily integrated and manufactured. It is a smart, energy-efficient lock cylinder that meets industrial requirements and has the potential for mass production – featuring all the essential functions of a modern locking system, including the locking mechanism, software integration and the management of user and access authorisations. The software and a mobile app for Apple and Android were developed at the CSMRT Institute at HSMW. They utilise the Ethereum Classic blockchain.
“The level of development achieved goes far beyond the typical research outcomes of such a project,” says Professor Matthias Vodel, project leader at HSMW. “Through close collaboration with our project partner ABUS Pfaffenhain, we were able to draw on their decades of experience in the Mechatronics components of the system. The synergy between industry and academia acts as an enormous driver of innovation, massively accelerating the research and development processes.”
Every millimetre counted
A particular challenge was the compact design of the locks. Whilst standard smart lock systems are limited in their areas of application due to their bulky design, the solution developed as part of the Chainlock project offers a wide range of possible applications thanks to its compact design. To achieve this, virtually every cubic millimetre inside the lock cylinder had to be utilised during the construction of the prototype to ensure the integration of the power supply, control electronics, memory and Mechatronics. “The biggest challenge in projects of this kind is, and always will be, miniaturisation,” recalls Sebastian Müller, Head of Research & Development at ABUS Pfaffenhain, who helped develop the prototype’s internal components. “Every millimetre counted.” For example, the circuit board was split into two layers positioned one above the other.
Blockchain brings independence
Thanks to its decentralised structure and global distribution, blockchain technology offers an independent security infrastructure that protects against manipulation and outages – without the need for a central authority or any single point of responsibility. Chainlock relies on the same tried-and-tested security mechanisms used in established cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum and Bitcoin. In doing so, Chainlock creates a reliable technological foundation and brings the benefits of blockchain to practical, everyday applications.
The app synchronises the locking configuration, including all authorisations and rules, to an independent, freely selectable cloud storage service. At the same time, the integrity of the data is ensured via the blockchain. Once permissions have been successfully verified in the app, they can be transmitted directly to the relevant lock as an encrypted update via a specially developed Bluetooth wireless protocol – whenever a user is near the door. The update transfers from the app to the lock take only a few seconds and do not require an active internet connection, making the system fully offline-capable – i.e. the lock cylinders themselves do not require an energy-intensive network connection. Every time there is an interaction between the lock and the app, all relevant update information is transmitted directly. Furthermore, the smartphone itself can function as a valid key within the system whilst offline for a certain period of time. Only after a pre-defined period has elapsed is it necessary to synchronise the authorisations on the smartphone online once again.
A wide range of new application scenarios
Thanks to its energy-efficient hardware platform, no external power supply is required when planning the installation of Chainlock locking cylinders. Existing conventional door locks can be replaced in a matter of minutes. Chainlock is not only the first choice as a secure alternative to locking systems currently available on the market. The combination of compact hardware and innovative software enables many new application scenarios, for example in the letting of holiday homes. Whereas previously the landlord had to organise the handover of keys and manually arrange the payment and refund of deposits, this can now be automated using Chainlock technology. This means that holiday home landlords can not only grant or revoke access permissions in real time via the app, but they can also link access authorisation to the payment of a deposit and have this automatically refunded when access is revoked. The blockchain makes administration not only secure, but also manufacturer-independent.
Further information on the project is available from Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Matthias Vodel
About the Blockchain Competence Centre Mittweida at the HSMW
The BCCM brings together researchers from various disciplines and potential users from industry and public administration to put various blockchain technologies into practice. The BCCM is a partner in the Mittweida Blockchain Showcase Region, which comprises numerous individual projects, and offers a comprehensive programme of continuing professional development through the Blockchain Academy and the Master’s programme in ‘Blockchain & Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT)’.
Alongside hardware development, the research project focused on software. Mechanical keys, access cards or other physical tokens are no longer necessary in this locking system – a standard smartphone conveniently takes over all the functions of a traditional key with no effort required. Both lock and key information can be exchanged regardless of the manufacturer, for example via QR code or email. There is also no longer any need to worry about losing them. Access permissions or individual devices can be locked and unlocked at short notice without incurring any additional costs.
An innovative app has been developed for this purpose, enabling both administrative functions – such as managing individual locking rules, rooms and users – and end-user functions such as creating digital key blanks and actually locking doors. The app synchronises the entire configuration of all authorisations and rules to an independent cloud storage service, which the administrator can choose themselves. This includes freely available options such as Google Drive, Dropbox or iCloud. The blockchain serves as a transparent and tamper-proof anchor for the digital, cryptographic fingerprint of the configuration.
