Some useful case studies at RFID Protect

For those of you that are keen to explore some of the  ‘darker’ issues associated with contactless credit, debit, passport, ski-pass and door-entry security systems then the following resources may prove useful.  Published here by kind permission of the author, are eighteen objective case studies (in six folders) that present both sides of the argument for RFID technology.

Download each (600KB PDF) by clicking on the associated images below.

If you wanted to reproduce these, I suggest making contact with the author/s.

For more information visit: http://www.rfidprotect.co.uk

Finally, if you’re in any doubt as to whether or not RFID skimming is a real threat, then perhaps watch the following video evidence.

Electronic Pickpocket – YouTube Video
(Approx. 4minutes – n.b: opens in a new window.)

Channel 4 News reveals that millions of Barclays card customers could be exposed to e-pickpocketing!

Channel 4 News reveals that millions of Barclays card customers could be exposed to e-pickpocketing!.

October 2011 – National Identity Fraud Prevention Week.

One of the UK’s fastest growing crimes came under the spotlight earlier this month, as identity fraud moved ‘centre stage’ once again.   National Identity Fraud Prevention Week has set the scene for a major conference in November 2011, which will see World leaders descend upon central London, all of whom are no doubt hoping to thrash out a solution to this difficult problem.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton seems likely to address London’s first cyberspace conference, which aims to start a high-level debate between people working in cyberspace throughout the World. Hosted by Foreign Secretary William Hague, the conference aims to help both private and public sector representatives better understand how to safeguard opportunities in cyberspace. The London conference will also consider wider societal issues including cyber threats, online safety, and…

…how governments can effectively regulate the internet!

You can learn more about the above here: National Identity Fraud Prevention Week (PDF 47KB)

Consumers don’t like RFID technology. Contrary to a popular credit card ad, most people would rather leave home without it.

Spychips has just reported that senior executives from American Express, have ‘taken a broadside’ with the discovery of the banking giants plans for people tracking.  American Express representatives attended a meeting with CASPIAN (Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering) in July 2011 to review the current situation. Since this meeting, American Express has committed to review its entire patent portfolio ensuring that, “…any people-tracking plans be accompanied by language requiring consumer notice and consent.”

A spokesperson for Spychips reported that American Express had filed a patent application entitled,  “Method and System for Facilitating a Shopping Experience.”  Spychips have described this patent as, “…a Minority Report style blueprint for monitoring consumers through RFID-enabled objects, like the American Express Blue Card.”  Spychips also state the following in respect to the proposed patent:

According to the patent, RFID readers called “consumer trackers” would be placed in store shelving to pick up “consumer identification signals” emitted by RFID-embedded objects carried by shoppers. These would be used to identify people, track their movements, and observe their behavior.

The patent also suggested such people-tracking systems could “be located in a common area of a school, shopping center, bus station or other place of public accommodation.”

Further information on this important subject can be found at:
www.spychips.com/press-releases/american-express-tracking-patent.html

Or shield your RFID credit and debit cards by clicking here.

A decade of database hacking and potential ID theft?

The UK banking sector appears pretty confident in its assertions that ‘contactless’ technology is 100% secure from unauthorised access, and similar claims are also made in respect of Britain’s e-passport.  The argument goes something like this; without an ability to cross-reference information that has been ‘skimmed’ from a contactless device with a user profile that is held within a central database – then the data obtained by the ‘skimmer’ is meaningless.  It’s a reasonable argument, one that makes sense and ought to offer us a very real measure of confidence in ‘contactless’ banking.  However, with the announcement that Sony’s PlayStation has fallen victim to a serious hacking incident, leaving users vulnerable to ID theft, some may wonder just how many customer databases elsewhere have been compromised in recent years?

The results of a very ‘quick and dirty’ trawl through certain internet news portals, looking for examples of database hacking, makes for unsettling reading.

But do keep in mind there’s no need to worry unduly about contactless crime; as a number of products are already available that will allow any concerned carrier of RFID-enabled cards or passports to shield their data. For instance RFID Protect in the UK, offers a wide range of ‘anti-skim’ shielding products.

Click here for a snapshot of some newsworthy database hacks over the past decade.

(Published by kind permission of Contactless)

London 2012 tickets are available to buy now…

The countdown has begun for London’s 2012 Games, with spectator tickets made available for purchase earlier today.  It’s not yet clear whether these tickets will be RFID enabled, although as the London 2012 Games were pitched as being a full ‘contactless’ experience there’s every possibility that event tickets will contain an active RFID chip.

Even if the actual tickets are not RFID enabled, ‘contactless’ RFID chip technology is already a major part of London’s public transport infrastructure; whether spectators travel by bus, tube or black cab to the Games. Convenience, ease of use and social status are seen as the main benefits.  But for organisers the added benefit in such an approach is a system that’s faster than paying with cash – and with the potential for accurate visitor profiling, which could prove very attractive to the armies of marketeers that will be involved in this prestige sporting event.

However, with growing speculation that 2012 tickets could trade for in excess of £700 a piece -some may argue there will be those that attempt to clone, skim and duplicate event passes.

Thank fully this need not be a concern as British-based company RFID Protect can supply ‘anti-skim’ sleeves for any ‘contactless’ credit card, travel card or secure access pass.

Click here to purchase RFID ‘anti-skim’ sleeves – and to get protected now!

RFID Protect – Make yourself invisible advertisement

eBay – stocks unbranded smart card protection sleeves

Unbranded, anti-skimming, RFID blocking, credit card and e-passport sleeves – at last there’s a UK supplier!!!

Until very recently it seemed impossible to purchase cheap unbranded paper-based Tyvek RFID sleeves from a UK supplier. BUT now multi-packs have arrived on eBay! (These fit all major UK passport, credit, debit, Oyster, transport and similar sized cards.)

This is a great development and certainly the best option for those on a really tight budget.

www.ebay.co.uk (credit card sleeves)
www.ebay.co.uk (passport sleeves)

David Beckham – victim of RFID hacking and car jacking!

David Beckham – victim of RFID hacking and car jacking!.

US Department of Defense deploys RFID shields to its personnel

US Department of Defense deploys RFID shields to its personnel.

This is an extraordinary article that would appear to suggest that the US military takes the business of ‘skimming’ very seriously, not least in respect of its RFID enabled ID passes; issued to all personnel.  You cannot help but ask the question, “…if contactless technology is 100% bulletproof against unauthorised attack – then why are the US Department of Defense introducing shielding sleeves?”  Go figure!