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Why One Man Got a Guerrilla RFID Implant
Shannon writes "One of my writers just did an interview with Amal Graafstra, who just had an RFID implant put in his hand and has been building appliances for it to simplify and automate his life... "I guess I have my own Big Brother paranoia. Given the choice of Orwellian societies, I'd rather live in one based on RFID tags than fingerprints, DNA, or facial structure; an RFID tag system is easy to manage and opt out of, whereas DNA sampling or facial recognition, well, isn't.""
So I guess this guy just doesn't take his hand with him if he doesn't want to be tracked?
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I knew I shouldn't have gotten that bar code tattoo... Idiot!
Mark A. McBride -- OmniNerd.com
So he has traded something unique and personal for something that can be read at a distance, copied and used freely by others. What is the advantage exactly?
the store detectives in walmart keep stopping him because they think he registers as a case of beer.
Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
What truth?
There is no dupe
an RFID tag system is easy to manage and opt out of
Hahaha! So you think - until it becomes absolutely mandatory and illegal for you to remove them.
Or -- imagine -- systems which would just not function without an RFID implant, or harm you if you do not have one.
What would you do then?
Get over it, you're slowly losing all the privacy you once had. It's one of the prices we are paying for certain advancements (and obvious advantages).
Whether or not you choose to have them - that would be your choice, at the moment. However, you really may not have the ability to make that choice a while from now.
Instead of going with a permanent implant, why not just get a stylish gold ring or watch or other thing with an RFID chip? I never take off my watch so it would give me almost the same functionality. Or maybe a false fingernail or something that is semipermament. This allows me to opt out without having to cut myself open.
--
Want a free Nintendo DS, GC, PS2, Xbox. (you only need 4 referrals)
Wired article as proof
If it's easy to opt out of a system of identification, then no one who is serious will use that system. If your gov't wants to track your movements (or whatever you think you're up against) they're not going to use easily-circumvented RFIDs, they'll use biometrics.
Until someone catches your RFID tag info, and steals your identity.....again.
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Ideal for people that rather have their hand cut off and being stolen instead of only being stolen.
If you mod this up, your slashdot background will turn into a beautiful sunset!
Q: can't they track you?!
A: no. the read range is only 2 inches max. even with a high powered reader, the chip itself does not have the capability to transmit farther than a couple inches tops. this makes it very difficult to scan my RFID chip without me noticing, and it's definitely not possible to scan it just by me walking by a sensor or something. It has to be pretty deliberate.
Q: what about GPS?!
A: no. there is currently no implantable GPS technology. none. there are very oversized watches you can wear that do support GPS tracking, but they look like a dick tracy watch on steroids.
Q: is all your information on there?!
A: no. as stated above, there is only an 8 character unique code.. like 48e9s18f for example. the chip is read-only (you can't change the data on it) and what it does or what that string of characters means depends on what system is scanning it. the system I'm creating will use that string to ID me and let me in my house, my car, or log me into my computer. if you have your cats or dogs tagged with a chip, they too only carry a unique code, and the animal's information is stored in a central database. hospitals are looking to use this technology in the arms of people to link a person's ID with their medical records in the computer system. The medical data won't, at this time, be stored on the chip itself as many fear.
Q: are you crazy?!
A: sure, why not.
Q: what about the mark of the beast!?
A: well, last time I checked, this chip wasn't required, I won't be killed for not having one, I don't need it to buy/sell things, and with billions of unique ID codes (numbers and letters), I don't see how each unique code could be calculated in some way to 666. bottom line, if this ever becomes an oppressive technology, required by some government, I can simply take it out.
- Revelation 13:16 - And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.
- Revelation 13:17 - And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
- Revelation 13:18 - Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. (666)
Q: how big is the implant?
A: it's 12mm long by 2mm in diameter.
Q: why the hand, and your left hand to boot?
A: well, I reach for my car door handle with my left hand, and I can get used to opening my front door with my left as well. plus, being right handed, my left hand is far less likely to get crushed, mutilated, or otherwise damaged... and I'm sure granules of crushed glass, silicon, and other metals could cause health complications, aside from having a crushed hand.
Q: did you do it yourself?
A: hell no. a client of mine is a doctor and we traded services.
Q: is this a hoax?
A: come on, I have better things to do than make things up. Here's a quick video I took with my crappy pentax digital camera, showing basic operation. A friend converted it to a much smaller standard QuickTime file for me. Here's a large, high res picture of the implant site as of 03-24-2005 4:00pm PST.
Q: I have questions, how can I contact you?
A: you have to pass a test first. don't worry, it's easy. take the domain name of this website, remove the top level domain, replace the period with an @ sign, then type the name of the greek god of dreams, followed by the letters "inc", and then place a period and the letters "com". if you can figure that out, you pass the test.
Hahaha when RFID implants are a normal occurance, I, for one, can't wait for the RFID Sniper Rifle
Deliver a SHOCKING suprise up to 500 feet away! Fun for the whole family
Excuse me, I don't mean to impose, but I am the ocean
My first thought (as a diabetic) is, what a wonderful opportunity to die of an infection :)
Religion is a gateway psychosis. -- Dave Foley
I hate that guys are getting implants. Sure, they look good, but they feel hard as rocks!
Evil sig is livE.
Hopefully he's not using one of those 40-bit Texas Instruments RFID modules that was cracked recently. Nothing like having some 5cr1pt k1dd13z pwn1ng your entire self...
Help save the critically endangered Blue Iguana
Yeah, all this nonsense about freedom and autonomy and choice and privacy is whack.
May as well metaphorically roll over on your back and piss on yourself in the face of Big Brother now and get to feel all cool about being an early adopter.
I know, let's ditch human dignity altogether and get a big ol' cattle tag clamped on our ears! Let people know whose herd you belong to!
Stefan
Instead of SSN's (here in the States, as most of Americans, I'm ingorant of the rest of the world) I've always thought we should all be assigned a GUID at birth. If you can't remember it, well, you're screwed. Mine just happens to be:
{EDB6154D-43E6-4707-B453-5FAB334B968E}
With it being globally unique (theoretically), it would be nearly impossible to memorize anyone's other than yourself (I struggle to remember my wife's SSN). So when the identity thief goes to the dealership to buy a car with your id, when they can't recite the GUID assigned to you, they are instantly arrested and displayed hanging from their toenails in the town square for all to see.
This sig has been removed pending an investigation.
I understand the privacy watchdogs being concerned about stuff like this. But it amazes me that I don't hear more complaints from Christians. What with some of them claiming Judgement day is near, and soon we're all going to have the mark of the beast on our hand without which we can't buy stuff, fly or do just about anything else. Maybe I'm just not paying attention.
As for the article, the whole thing does seem pretty cool. And he talks about how it only has a range of a couple of inches, making it hard for someone to scan his info without his say so. That's a bit more reassuring. But then it also makes it hard to do all the cool stuff we see in the ads like pick up items in a store and then just walk out as your tag gets scanned.
There should be some kind of flap that blocks a scan, like a mini-faraday cage, that you can easily cover it with. Then we could get these things with long range, but still feel secure.
would be to microwave your hand. Don't do it too long though.
From his site:
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Q: what about the mark of the beast!?
A: well, last time I checked, this chip wasn't required, I won't be killed for not having one, I don't need it to buy/sell things, and with billions of unique ID codes (numbers and letters), I don't see how each unique code could be calculated in some way to 666. bottom line, if this ever becomes an oppressive technology, required by some government, I can simply take it out.
- Revelation 13:16 - And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.
- Revelation 13:17 - And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
- Revelation 13:18 - Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. (666)
^^^^^^^
<nit pic>That book of the Bible is called The Revelation of St. John. No plural.</nit pic>
"Given the choice of Orwellian societies,..."
Personally, I think I'd rather be part of the contingent that storms congress with an AK-47s then let it come to chips implanted in people's hands. Don't forget the 4th box of liberty. This guy is fubared. What's his statement? I'm gonna bend over now just in case my cellmate is gay?
"I only speak the truth"
Karma: null(Mostly affected by an unassigned variable)
but I have to say it strikes as, well, stupid to think that you can "opt out" of having somebdoy read something that is implanted in your body and has absolutely no built in security measures at all.
Saying the read range is only two inches is to count on two things: (1) that the guys who might want to read your implant without your knowledge don't have access to better technology than you do and (2) they aren't clever enough to plant the reader where you will trigger it and won't notice.
The guy almost has the right idea though. An important quality of a system, if it is to have privacy, is the ability to know when you are being scanned and potentially tracked. This is why biometric face recognition systems, which are advocated by some people on the right, are actually much more dangerous than a national ID card, which is anethema.
Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
You know what? he should have gotten the tag implanted in his p*nis: can you imagine the look on his neighbours' face when he sticks his peepee in the keyhole to open your door? That'd be priceless...
"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
I'm the reason america is so fat? Wow. All my friends here in Sweden will love me for it, cause none of them is too fond of america.
Still, I do see your point, as I am overweight myself. I spent a few years living in a small oneroom apartement in the middle of the city, never had to go more than about 100 yards max for whatever I ever wanted... That causes some severe overweight after a while. Now I live on a farm instead, take long walks with the dog every day, and of course the kilos just keep dropping.
But I must say, that turnign keys and flipping lightswitches is not exactly the kind of exercize that would help people loose wight, or stay slim.
Its taking thr stairs instead of the elevator, walking the two miles to the shop instead of taking the car, and then carrying your groceries home the same distance... These things will help anyone loose weight. Flicking the light on and off wont...
Is that comment about "Orweillian" socities in the article summary? Seems like it was just flamebait to get everyone riled up about RFID.
Its just a neat project about a lazy man making life easier for himself.
Watch out for the new line of tin-foil gloves coming soon to a store near you.
AT&ROFLMAO
it replaced the need for keys for your car
What happens if you need to loan somebody your vehicle?
Thanks to the internet, we can now all die alone together! -SomeWoman
Let's remember that the hebrew letters for "Nero Caesar" (NRWN QSR) sum 50+200+6+50+100+60+200=666.
Some interpretations say that the Latin name "Neron Caesar" also sums 666.
So please, ask a Bible scholar before jumping up to conclusions.
It's funny, you know... how people let tend to believe rumours and conspiracy theories, when they should be working on helping the poor and feeding the hungry (Hellooooo, Matthew 25 anyone?)
So when the identity thief goes to the dealership to buy a car with your id, when they can't recite the GUID assigned to you, they are instantly arrested and displayed hanging from their toenails in the town square for all to see.
:-)
Have you ever mistyped your password? Would you like to be arrested if you did?
What if the buyer is sick the day he goes to make payment on your car? What he's hungover? What if he's getting old, and his memories are fading? What if she's got dislexia, and can't visualize numbers, let alone memorize them?
With it being globally unique (theoretically), it would be nearly impossible to memorize anyone's other than yourself
You define "nearly impossible" differently than I do.
If you ask most people if they can memorize ten digit numbers, they say "no". If you ask them their best friends phone number, they rattle it off without thinking. People with a vested interest can write down and then memorize darn near anything. After all, you learned to memorize your number. Why can't someone else?
What's to stop, say, the car dealer from keeping a copy of your global identifier (say, he's got a tape recorder in his pocket when you say it out loud), and then buying a vacation to Cuba with your identity?
The answer is, of course, not much.
--
AC
That's answered pretty early in the article, actually.
I'm guessing that it's not so frequent when he goes somewhere and accidentally leaves his left hand behind.
What is the ID SNIPER rifle?
It is used to implant a GPS-microchip in the body of a human being, using a high powered sniper rifle as the long distance injector. The microchip will enter the body and stay there, causing no internal damage, and only a very small amount of physical pain to the target. It will feel like a mosquito-bite lasting a fraction of a second. At the same time a digital camcorder with a zoom-lense fitted within the scope will take a high-resolution picture of the target. This picture will be stored on a memory card for later image-analysis.
Call me a cockeyed optimist but I'm not too worried, at least not about the Government enforcing RFID. Anything they field can easily be defeated, if history is any teacher. Here are my thoughs on some of the issues brought up: 1) "you can't opt out" - Yes you can, you can have the thing removed or destroyed. Even if the government said it's against the law to do so doesn't make it technicly imposible to do. And if enough people do it, it gets to be unenforceable. You can't opt out of DNA and while facial recognition software is easy to defeat it's way too costly to permently change your face. I'm more worried about the general economy addopting it, as some posters have alluded too. I don't think the Gov will mandate it, not sure they could anyway, our paper money say "legal tender for all depts public and private" so by law they probably have to supply it but there may be some businesses that will become "electronic transactions only" outlets but major stores will probably still take cash. Even in a worst case where you can't get by with out an RFID (which will only happen if better encryption can be implemented) it'll be business's that'll drive it and not the Gov. And I can only guess at the black/grey markets that'll popup with anonymous/fake RFIDs, it'll be a brave new world. 2)Why not wearable instead? - This has been covered pretty good by others but it boils down to if you wear it, it can be stolen/lost. Some folks, possibly as jokes, mention the cutting off of his hand to seal his ID; not an easy thing to do, most folks would easliy give up their watch/rings/wallets but would fight rather hard to keep their hand. 3) Its unencrypted - The author understands that, he even understans that the 40bit encrypted ones have been cracked already. He mentions some form of 2 factor authentication on some critical operations, such as open a door, but that's not needed when turning on a light. And I agree that even a 1 to 2 inch read limit is of little protection against theft, Credit cards require the target to remove them from their wallet and make physical contact with a reader (to get the info off the magnetic strip) but that's an easyenough crime to commt, scanning a hand should be no problem. Thougth we might see a surge in sales of wire mesh gloves for blocking this. 4) We already are being tracked by RFID in cloths and other products - Partly true, but it's a very iffy way of doing it. WalMart has hundreds of shirts in stock to be able to track my shirt and associate it with me would take the updating of possibly dozens of databases, not an easy thing to do (the IRS has been working for 20 years to try and get computerized and they still can't get it right and they only have one DB) In conclution: RFID, DNA, Facial Recongnition, federal ID cards all of these are useless for near 100% identification purposes (DNA comes nearest but is nowhere near realtime) so other than a token effort by the government I am not too worried. They'll pass it, it'll be a major headache for a few months/years then it'll go away (congress has a notorisly short attention span and when the next new birght shiny object comes into view they'll forget all about it). P.S. One poster mentioned everyone getting an GUID at birth, I go one further, I think we should all get a 48 bit Mac address at birth so that when the IPv6 enabled RFIDs come out we can jack in right away.