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RSA Creating RFID Blocker Tag
burgburgburg writes "RSA is introducing a new RFID cloaking system to guard secret data. The RSA Blocker Tag technology uses a jamming system designed to confuse RFID readers and prevent those devices from tracking data on individuals or goods outside certain boundaries. At its security conference, RSA demonstrated the blocking technology in a pharmacy setting. The pharmacist provides your prescription in a special bag with the Blocker tags. When the drugs are in the bag, RFID readers are blocked. Take them out, they're readable. The tags work by emitting radio frequencies that fool RFID readers into thinking they're receiving unwanted data, causing them to shun data from that source. RSA promises that this new technology will not interfere with the normal operation of RFID systems or allow hackers to use security technology to bypass theft-control systems or launch denial-of-service attacks." Maybe it's just me, but this seems to not address any of the important RFID issues at all.
You don't need a special chip to stop RFID tags from functioning. Look at the EZPass/FastPass/etc. systems in use on highway systems across the country. They come with a metallized plastic bag, similar to the antistatic ones that your hard drive came in, that blocks the signal from the EZPass so that you won't register when you don't want it to. All you need is your standard Anti-static bag. Drop your RFID tags in there and watch the readers try to find them. Signals won't penetrate: no chip necessary.
Remember, there were no nuclear weapons before women were allowed to vote.
That reminds me of a news special I saw on TV about professional shoplifters. Apparently they had devised a way to smuggle clothing and other goods with RFID tags past those little scanner gates. You wanna know how they did it?
Tin foil lined bags!
According to the show, some of these shoplifting rings take millions of dollars worth of merchanise a year. So this method must be pretty effective. I love when people go through a ton of work and invest billions of dollars while ignoring something simple/stupid like tin foil.
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We have a stupid FastTrak system here in California for the carpool lanes where you can pay even if you are by yourself in the car. They give you a transmitter box and it debits your account when you get in the lane. Long story short, they give you a bag made out of silver to put your transmitter in if you actually do have a passenger with you, so your account won't get debited.
Seems like one of these silver bags would work perfect to put RFID enabled items in.
"We need a fourth law of Robotics: Stop Fingering My Wife"
Wired did an article on this: Is RFID Technology Easy to Foil?
I believe those bags are called Booster Bags and the are a felony to possess, in PA at least. My sister works in a retail outlet and they have caught ppl using them. Throw clothing in bag walk out store no annoying alarms.
"All I can tell the "lesser of two evils" folks is that if they keep voting for evil, they'll keep getting evil."-Lp.org
Odd. When I want to block an RFID tag, I put it an ESD bag. (Electrostatic bag, the kind that come with many computer components). When I ordered an RFID based automated toll-booth system, it came with an ESD bag, and in their FAQ they explicitly state that if you don't want your tag read and your account charged, just put the device in the bag, easy as that. Presumeably, an ESD bag (which has enough metal in it to accomodate a random static discharge) would create a Faraday cage around the tag, and keep the radio signals from getting in or out of the bag. Now all I have to do is make a shopping bag out of ESD bags.... or just line a backpack, and _bam_. Shoplifter's dream. just remember to close the bag first....
"Is this not a rare fellow, my lord? He's as good at any thing, and yet a fool." -from "As You Like It", Act 5,
I submitted an article on this to /. a few weeks ago but it was rejected. Typical of /. to print every anti-RFID piece of FUD they get but to ignore anything that might indicate that some companines get it.
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