Did you know? RFID hacking is easy, widespread, and growing fast.
Related to yesterday's post about RFID mania, here's a great (and timely) article from Wired about RFID hacking.
It's frightening how easy it is to steal someone's RFID information and duplicate it in minutes. In the example the article lists they're only stealing access to an office building. While losing computer equipment would be bad enough, imagine the implications of this easy, touch-free, nearly unnoticable theft to civilians in the non-tech arena. What happens when all Passports have RFID tags? How about Credit Cards? Car ignitions? Even the doors to your home? Now imagine that it's just as easy for someone to steal any and all of these "keys" and replicate them.
I don't know about you, but I don't think I'd be too secure in the knowedge that anyone in the airport could steal my passport information simply by brushing up against me. Yeah, because that never happens in an airport. The next thing you know there would be 415 illegal immigrants registered and working with my social security number, terrorists would be hopping country to country while treading on my good name, and the very roots of society would crumble! Ok, so maybe I have a flair for the dramatic, but you have to admit this poses a serious problem.
The bigger problem, I feel, is that this technology has been, and will continue to be so readily accepted by the masses due to the business uses that it offers to companies. They're not going to be the ones to raise concerns about the problems it could cause in day to day life for the average consumer. We have to do that. And by we, I mean you as well as me.
If you don't agree with me, that's fine. Maybe you will when you see your Prius driving away from your house because some kid had a laptop and wanted a joy ride. Or when your bank account is emptied because you were carrying a RFID enabled credit card and someone swiped the info without you knowing. At least with physical car keys and magnetic credit cards you know when they're missing, for the most part.
Skeptical as always,
#CWout