Security researcher Chris Paget has brought Cory Doctorow’s latest novel to life.
In the book Little Brother, kids use cheap RFID readers to clone San Francisco’s Fastrak cards and then rewrite the details to other users’ cards to cause mayhem and bring down the DHS. In reality, these cards contain RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chips which can be read from a distance. The purpose is to let drivers cruise through toll-booths without stopping – payment is automatic – but you can be sure that there are plenty of other scanners dotted around the city, tracking your progress as you drive.
Paget wasn’t trying to bring down the government. He was simply making a point. Armed with a homebrew RFID reader kit (cost of parts: $250), he drove downtown and in 20 minutes had grabbed the details of two RFID passports. No Fastrak cards yet, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be wrapping them in tinfoil (we’re actually serious). Paget’s aim is to have these chips removed from personal IDs as, aside from being insecure they are "unsuitable for tagging people". We agree.
Passport RFIDs cloned wholesale by $250 eBay auction spree [The Register]
Little Brother [Craphound]
See Also:
- Mobile RFID Reader Brings Big Brother To Your Pocket
- New York Offers Drivers License with RFID Tag
- Access Denied: RFID Cat-Flap Scans Kitties
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