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Blocker RFID Tags Solve The RFID Privacy Problem
from the solutions-to-the-privacy-problem? dept
Someone who prefers to remain anonymous sent in a link to a story about how RSA is working on special RFID "blocker" tags. Just like regular RFID tags, except that they broadcast every possible RFID number, making it impossible to figure out what specific RFID tags are available. Now, despite the counter-productive spamming from a misguided anti-RFID type around here yesterday, there are certainly issues that should be discussed surrounding RFID and privacy issues. However, instead of just complaining about it, it's good to see companies working on technology solutions to the problem. The article isn't entirely clear, but it appears the system works by letting the owner of the blocker RFID tag easily select which RFID tags around them can be read at any particular point. This way, you get the benefit of using RFID tags without having to worry about how they're being used outside of their intended purposes. Also, if I understand this idea correctly, any individual would just need a single "blocker" RFID tag, and could then control every other RFID tag. This is smart. Earlier solutions to the RFID privacy problem were proposals for new reprogrammable RFID tags that would let users turn them off. However, that would be expensive and there's no guarantee that all manufacturers would use those RFID tags, as opposed to the cheaper, non-reprogrammable ones. This solution avoids all of that with a fairly simple, inexpensive solution.
Reader Comments
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Correct me if I'm wrong but...
Aren't tags easier to peel off than stickers? What would prevent a customer from switching RFID tags for a cheaper product?
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Re: Correct me if I'm wrong but...
Ok... you're wrong. The tags can be tiny... to the point where it will be almost impossible to determine where they actually are: http://www.rfidjournal.com/article/articleview/337/1/1/
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Re: Correct me if I'm wrong but...
Oh wow, reminds me of fleas. I wonder if you could attach those things to the back of fleas and turn a clothing store into a flea circus, so to speak?
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Re: Correct me if I'm wrong but...
Thought this was a great idea too, but if a single RFID jammer creates a total zone of RFID unreadability within even a limited range, this could really kill a lot of useful applications before they get off the ground.
Case in point - a suite in an RFID-enabled hospital with prescriptions, key equipment and even surgical dressings tagged for integration, tracking, and/or conditional alerts rendered useless by someone with an RFID Jammer on his keychain visiting a patient.
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RFID technology = George Orwell's 1984
For further information on this highly invasive technology and why we should actively boycott it please point your browsers to:
www.nocards.org
or www.boycottgillette.com
... and THANK YOU Mike for pointing this article out to those of us that are actively concerned about our privacy !
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Re: RFID technology = George Orwell's 1984
Please refrain from spamming our message boards like you did the other day. It doesn't make any one more likely to agree with you. It actually makes me LESS likely to agree with you, because it makes you look like a quack.
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Re: RFID technology = George Orwell's 1984
Point well made and accepted.
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Lawers always trump engineers.
It won't take long for blockers to be outlawed.
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