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(Mis)Uses of Technology

by Mike Masnick

Tue, Aug 26th 2003 2:25pm





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.

9 Comments | Leave a Comment..


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  1.  

    Correct me if I'm wrong but...

    identicon
    dorpus, Aug 26th, 2003 @ 9:35pm

    Aren't tags easier to peel off than stickers? What would prevent a customer from switching RFID tags for a cheaper product?

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  

    Re: Correct me if I'm wrong but...

    icon
    Mike (profile), Aug 26th, 2003 @ 10:55pm

    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/

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  

    Re: Correct me if I'm wrong but...

    identicon
    dorpus, Aug 27th, 2003 @ 12:47am

    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?

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  

    Re: Correct me if I'm wrong but...

    identicon
    Anonymous Killjoy, Aug 27th, 2003 @ 6:59am

    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.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  

    RFID technology = George Orwell's 1984

    identicon
    George Orwell, Aug 27th, 2003 @ 8:43am

    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 !

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  6.  

    Re: RFID technology = George Orwell's 1984

    icon
    Mike (profile), Aug 27th, 2003 @ 9:10am

    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.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  7.  

    Re: RFID technology = George Orwell's 1984

    identicon
    Reincarnated as a duck ..., Aug 27th, 2003 @ 9:16am

    Point well made and accepted.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  8.  

    Lawers always trump engineers.

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Aug 27th, 2003 @ 12:35pm

    It won't take long for blockers to be outlawed.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  9.  

    Why Jam when you could "accidentally" destroy?

    identicon
    TridefullyClear, Apr 15th, 2010 @ 9:09am

    take the "PMP" concept and make it an "EMP"

    Just do only good and don't get caught.

    Only outlaws will have liberty.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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