Blog: Dan E. Linstedt

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RFID tracking for Individuals needs to go away

Warning: this is a rant! (my appologies to my readers)
RFIDs are causing quite a stir, they have a multitude of problems, none of which seem to matter to Government officials. At least that's a part of what this report says. I'm a believer in using technology for the right task, and I do see value in RFID for specific things, but please - don't invade my personal space with RFID tags, and please - don't force it on me. Unfortunately whether we like it or not Governments around the world are heading this way, dictating the use of RFID in pass-ports, drivers licenses, and medical ID cards. I fear that in the future we may be subjected to RFID implants (as I blogged before) in order to receive service, shop for groceries, go through the airport, and so on. It's a sad day to see that ethical and privacy problems with RFID are so well documented, and so well ignored by governments.

RFID Chip in Passports - Hacked into by Security Expert, Shows flaws of information, discusses the serious nature of release of private information, and one of the surprising things they wrote about is the RFID has no "stop-gap" measures to shut-down, self-destruct, or ward off attacks. I vote for Hitting it with a blunt object so as to smash the chip.

Here's another one that raises questions about the privacy and protection of top-secret personell, top secret locations, and so on...
RFID Spy chip implanted in "hollow coin" appears in Canada

I don't know how you feel about this, but I'm certainly upset.
1. As people in a free country where the government is elected by votes, shouldn't the government be asking rather than telling us that they will implement something this invasive, without a vote, and all in the name of "security".
2. What exactly does it mean to compromise "ethics and privacy" in the name of "security"?
3. By having an RFID tag in my drivers license or passport, how much more "secure" am I really?

Here's a great report from a University on the Privacy Enhancing Technology claims for RFID, and what some of the ethical problems are:
http://www.rvs.uni-bielefeld.de/publications/Reports/PETC_RFID_Scrutinised.pdf

I hope someone comes up with a device called "RFID Jammer" that can be embedded into your own clothing, placed into your wallet or stuck to your cell phone, a device that silences the radio waves or burns out the chip electronically.

Anyone can buy an RFID reader on-line, no background checks, no security, no questions asked, for about $921.00

These are questions I have, but alas, no answers. If you have articles on RFID that you'd like to share, I'd like to hear about them.

Thanks,
Dan L
CTO, Myers-Holum, Inc
http://www.MyersHolum.com

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