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Fast Unauthorized Energy Decryption for Frequency-Varying Wireless Power Without Additional Sensor

  • Hui Wang
  • , Nima Tashakor
  • , Xiaoyang Tian
  • , Hans D. Schotten
  • , Stefan M. Goetz*
  • *Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

With the popularity of wireless charging, energy access protection and cybersecurity are gaining importance, especially in public places. Currently, the most common energy encryption method uses frequency and associated impedance variation. However, we have proven that this method is not reliable, since a hacker can detect the changing frequency and adjust the compensation. Still, the previously presented system needed time to follow the updated frequency, while encryption systems may vary the frequency faster to avoid energy theft. Furthermore, the previous system required an additional sensor coil. To solve these problems, we optimized the attack and the associated system, which can intrude and steal energy within 200 µs. The key is the elimination of the time-consuming maximum receiver current regulation. Also, we use the main receiving coil rather than any additional sensor antenna to detect the magnetic field. Thus, the new hardware is even simpler. A simulation model and experimental results demonstrate the fast response speed of the attack on encrypted wireless power and steal 65% of the power. Overall, the applicability of the attack is highly improved and leaves less room for hardening the encryption. The results demonstrate that energy access protection needs to be given great attention.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)685-695
Number of pages11
JournalIEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems
Volume73
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2026
Externally publishedYes

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
    SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

  • Wireless power transfer
  • access encryption
  • energy safety
  • energy stream cipher
  • energy theft
  • frequency hopping
  • microsecond operation
  • power cybersecurity
  • power encryption
  • power hacking
  • unauthorized energy harvesting

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