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Researchers Find Problems With RFID Passport Cards

Posted by timothy on from the clearly-unpossible dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Researchers at the University of Washington have found that RFID tags used in two new types of border-crossing documents in the US are vulnerable to snooping and copying. The information in these tags could be copied on to another, off-the-shelf tag, which might be used to impersonate the legitimate holder of the card." You can also read the summary of the researchers' report.

10 of 172 comments (clear)

  1. Elvis by Krneki · · Score: 5, Funny

    So, if I want to be Elvis all I need is one of those new passports.

    Cool.

    --
    Love many, trust a few, do harm to none.
    1. Re:Elvis by value_added · · Score: 4, Funny

      Elvis would be a good choice when registering to vote in Chicago. For border crossings, I'd recommend using Cat Stevens.

  2. How should I respond to this? by retech · · Score: 5, Funny
    1. I am shocked!
    2. I am outraged!
    3. I am indignant!
    4. Tubes, what tubes?
    5. This is why I wrap all my important body parts in tinfoil.
    6. Why didn't we know about this sooner?
    7. If it's not on BoingBoing I don't believe it.

    Please, someone in authority with intelligence tell me what to think about this. Oh.. wait... that's never going to happen is it.

    1. Re:How should I respond to this? by TubeSteak · · Score: 2, Funny

      Your solution advocates a

      ( ) technical ( ) legislative ( ) market-based ( ) vigilante (*) emotional

      approach to solving a looming privacy problem. Your idea will not work. Here is why it won't work. (One or more of the following may apply to your particular emotional state, and it may have other flaws which used to vary from state to state or country to country before a bad federal or international law was passed.)

      --
      [Fuck Beta]
      o0t!
  3. Re:Breaking news: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

    That only cos I sat on my arm. Totally worth it btw.

  4. Tinfoil anyone? by dword · · Score: 4, Funny

    Damn it, now I have to take off my tinfoil hat and use the tinfoil to protect my RFID!

    1. Re:Tinfoil anyone? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      This is probably just a global conspiracy, to increase tinfoil sales.

  5. Re:Breaking news: by GoombaTroopa · · Score: 2, Funny

    The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

    It's probably better off not knowing. ;)

    (This sort of joke was inevitable)

  6. Don't worry, once Obama becomes President... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    people will no longer have the desire to do such nefarious things as clone passports. And if they do, he'll simply sit down with them and reason with them, and they will see the light and cease their evil ways. And the world will be as one, and we'll all join hands in a giant ring around the globe and sing Kumbayah as we sway back and forth.

  7. once again by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I work with motorola canopy gear to bring people broadband to remote areas using RF. It's amazing how simple it is to steal some of our stream, access people's "radio's" and routers and so on...

    I guess if the global government wants to put a definitive leash on us, they'll have to pursue other avenues.

    otherwise - I can't wait to hack my RF brain chip!