Chips in official IDs raise privacy fears

Chips in official IDs raise privacy fears

news.yahoo.com

Climbing into his Volvo, outfitted with a Matrics antenna and a Motorola reader he'd bought on eBay for $190, Chris Paget cruised the streets of San Francisco with this objective: To read the identity cards of strangers, wirelessly, without ever leaving his car.

It took him 20 minutes to strike hacker's gold.

Zipping past Fisherman's Wharf, his scanner detected, then downloaded to his laptop, the unique serial numbers of two pedestrians' electronic U.S. passport cards embedded with radio frequency identification, or RFID, tags. Within an hour, he'd "skimmed" the identifiers of fou

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As far as conspiracies go, one of our greatest fears has been realized via a roundabout way. The controversy surrounding the RFID tags and microchip technology has normally been the tracking of citizens through chips surgically embedded under our skin. Turns out the surgery can be skipped completely.

The ramifications for this type of surveillance is staggering.

But with advances in tracking technologies coming at an ever-faster rate, critics say, it won't be long before governments could be able to identify and track anyone in real time, 24-7, from a cafe in Paris to the shores of California.

The key to getting such a system to work, these opponents say, is making sure everyone carries an RFID tag linked to a biometric data file.

The proverbial mark of the beast won't be stamped on our foreheads or hands, but residing in our wallets.

news.yahoo.com
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This is unethical and frightening and should be fought.
We are not possessions to be tracked and controlled.

Just smash the chip with a hammer.

It will be years before ATM's have to change from reading magnetic strips to RFID. I have one in my passport and the next time i travel, i will smash it discretely so it's not obvious or put it next to a massive magnet and say it was left next to a speaker.....what they going to do? There is no law making them compulsory, and i doubt there ever will.

They will just try to bring it in under the radar by first saying it's for foreign workers and key employees, but mass adoption making them legal requirements, will never happen.

I have started to write "£5 of what" on my money and if the bank offers me an RFID card, i will refuse and just take out enough cash to last a week. Also, i don't own a credit card and never will. Let's move away from plastic and back to good old bartering and cold cash.

[edit on 11-7-2009 by PrisonerOfSociety]

reply to post by PrisonerOfSociety

I have one in my passport and the next time i travel, i will smash it discretely so it's not obvious or put it next to a massive magnet and say it was left next to a speaker.....what they going to do?

You could do that, although I would advise against it as it is illegal. However, that is an extremely short-term solution to what will undoubtedly be a long-term situation.

The reality is that we are already firmly on the road to RFID and biometrics cataloging our movements, spending habits, current location, etc. We may not be entirely entrenched at the moment, and it will probably take years for the system to fully be in place, but we're headed there.

Originally posted by maria_stardust
reply to post by PrisonerOfSociety

 

You could do that, although I would advise against it as it is illegal. However, that is an extremely short-term solution to what will undoubtedly be a long-term situation.

Really?! Which law dictates that a) i have an RFID and b) that it is in full working order? I speak of the UK btw, as they have said it won't be made compulsory, but i have a sneaking suspicion it is just used as a political pawn; the next parliament will (or may) instigate RFID agendas, we will see.

The reality is that we are already firmly on the road to RFID and biometrics cataloging our movements, spending habits, current location, etc. We may not be entirely entrenched at the moment, and it will probably take years for the system to fully be in place, but we're headed there.

Just wrap everything in aluminium foil to act as a Faraday cage. Those tin foil hats won't be mocked any more, once the cops start tagging you from their tazer/RFID guns from 100 yards.

I don't travel so as of right now i don't think i have any ID's or anything with an RFID chip in it. But if i am ever issued something with one in it i'll zap it in the microwave, or buy one of those sleeves that block them from reading and tracking the chip. I'm not gonna willingly allow them to tag and track me as if they own me.

This RFID technology isn't even off the ground yet, and there are already ways to hack it? That is astounding.

When are these guys going to realize, that in some instances, paper is always going to be more secure than digital, because paper is physical, and cannot be stolen remotely.

The following links are for RFID blocking wallets and Passport folders:

www.thinkgeek.com...

www.thinkgeek.com...

And remember, half a Faraday cage is no Faraday cage.

A magnet wont help much and while the wallet shield works, it is a pain in the butt to have to keep your things safe from electronic spies. Best bet is either "accidentally" micro-waving it, or your trusty hammer. RFIDs are not immune to a quick sharp blow with a blunt object. Oops!

Since RFID is very simple technology, it is also very simple to hack into. In no way is it considered secure technology and even the Department of Homeland Security, which promotes their use in Passports, has stated that they are well aware of the lack of security in RFIDs.

Yep, it's Hammer time.

reply to post by Terapin


Yep, hammer or neodymium magnet

To paraphrase something i read but can't remember where:

"RFID security is like trying to break into a house with ten-foot thick steel walls and heavy locks, but they then place the key under the front door-mat".

Also remember that once your biometrics are stolen, you can't just phone up some agency and request a new pin number!

Everyone speaks of the RFID like its a bad thing. think about this, criminals will no longer be able to hide. Rapists, murderers, robbers, thieves will be easier to track down without the thousands of man hours from law enforcement individuals.
You will be able to start your car just by getting in it.
This is is the wave of the future. You should accept this kind of technology with open arms.
Just needs better encryption to prevent hackers from stealing identities


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

reply to post by skeetontheconspiracy


OMG, what an amazing post.

Do you really think criminals/terrorists will get authentic ID's? There will always be a black market and i wonder if you'll be spouting the same BS when a criminal clones your biometric ID and at 4am you'll get your door kicked down by police for nefarious activities; how on Earth will you explain your innocence if they have cross-tagged you with your own ID?

I hope you enjoy your pizza in your NWO...

Reply to post by PrisonerOfSociety

Just to let you know. RFID would make my job a helluva lot easier, thats why I'm for the RFIDs.

wanan job?
www.DHS.gov


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

reply to post by skeetontheconspiracy


Can you explain more please? I'm most interested. Can you give an example scenario, how it would benefit your job.

Thanks in advance.

Originally posted by skeetontheconspiracy
Everyone speaks of the RFID like its a bad thing. think about this, criminals will no longer be able to hide. Rapists, murderers, robbers, thieves will be easier to track down without the thousands of man hours from law enforcement individuals.
You will be able to start your car just by getting in it.
This is is the wave of the future. You should accept this kind of technology with open arms.
Just needs better encryption to prevent hackers from stealing identities

 

Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

 

Have you lost your mind?!?!?! i started posting comments on this the moment it hit yahoo.. ( was second poster though when i started it there were no comments yet) Do you want the government knowing your every move, invading your private life...knowing what your scheduale is on a daily basis....do you want it to where people cant purchase ANYTHING without having one of this...it will move from being in your id's and passports to being in your hand...and u wont even be able to buy dinner without it!! Its already being done, in texas and other states on the border they are already putting it in your drivers liscence not to mention when you go get your pretty new easy to live liscence they take a picture of you and put it into a computer to where they will soon be able to pick you out of a crowd through face recognition cameras...yea lets embrace it.....whatever!

I am not getting a new liscence, i wanted to travel but i guess thats over now and im not going to ever get a shot for anything again...i was reading earlier about how these people were able to put a bomb in a trash can and when a certain rfid chip came by it blew up..they used a dummy carrying the chip....when i find the specific article i will post it.

I do agree however it would be good for those currently in prison for murders rapes and such. but then theres the issue of some of them being innocent, as we have seen over the years people in prison or have died in there have turned out to be innocent years later...so what do we do?

just for the record im not a christian or a bible thumper screaming 'mark of the beast' its not about that to me..its about my privacy being taken away and the govt. excuse is for my 'safety' i dont need that to feel safe, i work and live in a horrible city that is crime ridden...i feel safe enough dont want or need no stupid chip to make me feel better..dont need one to make my life easier either.

whats sad is that everyday they are taking away our rights and by the time this chip is mandatory our right to refuse it will be gone as well....

reply to post by skeetontheconspiracy


Untilll you make one of those immuture and pitifully stupid leaders angry.....

You can swiftly labeled a rapist or a childmolester by controlled media and hunted. You will then be taken to jail and put down like an animal.

well, first of all, GPS on your cell phone makes it very very easy to track you down through certain technologies, you may think that just b/c you have clicked the option under settings to turn your gps off you are safe, wrong.

wnd, imagine going ot the grocery and filling your cart with everything you need. You get your food, shaving needs, toiletries, etc. THen without waitintg in line or paying a cashier you just walk through something that looks similar to a metal detector and the greeter says thank you, have a nice day. All your food is charged to your credit card via RFID. The future is soon.

Imagine you are boarding a plane for a trip to, lets say, hawaii. You purchase a ticket and move to the boarding terminal, no attendant checking tickets, instead you walk through a door that looks like a metal detector. Your RFID is read and you have access to the plane, you board your plane and head to your destination. Whereas someone deemed "a threat" is detained. Safer and shorter lines.

Imagine a society with no registers, no cashiers, just RFID readers.

The biometrics will be made secure before it will be released to the public, it will be 99.999% safe and very effective. You are all worrying about the negatives without seeing the good.

National security t hreats will be easier to track down. Pedophiles will be easier to track. Trespassers will be noticed sooner and easier.

Nothing is perfect, not even retina scanners, but this is a way better form than just a little card that any teenager wanting beer can figure out how to make a fake.

Besides, arent they already using this tech in britain?


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

Reply to post by Wertdagf

originally posted by wertdagf
"Untilll you make one of those immuture and pitifully stupid leaders angry.....

You can swiftly labeled a rapist or a childmolester by controlled media and hunted. You will then be taken to jail and put down like an animal."

You think this isn't possible today? Tv's are everywhere, if you are labeled a threat to national security you are still labeled a murderer or something and hunted down and tracked by the govt.

whats that one movie wiht gene hackman and will smith? that is more realistic than you could imagine.

And my job is to keep people like you safe. would you rather live in a country where you have to worry if a bomb is goign to go off in a shop you are visiting or a subway train you take to work? No We can't allow USA to become Iran or Afghanistan or Israel where these are commonplace occurances. there are Agents that dedicate their lives to making sure your kids can go to school, that you can do everything you want to do without fear of terrorists, and sleep well at night.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

Trespassers will be noticed sooner and easier.

I think that one comment epitomises your left-of-bell-curve IQ. I'm sorry to say something like that, but if you are an LEO then God help us all; what are they brainwashing you with ???

Do you think a trespasser will carry an ID card? Do you think a 'terrorist' will carry an ID card planting his bombs in bins? What's wrong with queuing for 5mins to pay a cashier cash for groceries?

Do you really think we will all walk into an airport and board a plane within 5mins because we are all validated wirelessly through entry? Would that not open up a massive security threat if admission is on blind faith from digital data? What about the good old fashioned eyeball-to-eyeball at check-in?

Your arguments are beneath contempt, i'm afraid.