RFID off switch

[morganlefay]

This is very cool

http://www.itbusiness.ca/it/client/e...=true&id=51883

Would definately curb my privacy issues with that technology

MLF

[Cheap Scotch Ron]

curb it?... maybe for a little while... but only until someone (that thinks like dino ) figures out how to turn it back on and steal ur identity.

[IKnowNot]

Interesting that they found a way to turn it off, but ...

Can someone explain the wisdom behind putting RFID on a driver's license in the first place?

( other then the profits of the manufacturers )

I don't understand.

[morganlefay]

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/wireles...ing-rfid_x.htm

U.S. officials want to see if the same technology that speeds cars through highway tolls and identifies lost pets can unclog border crossings without compromising security.
Homeland Security Undersecretary Asa Hutchinson announced Tuesday that the government will begin testing radio frequency identification technology at this crossing and four others by midsummer.

Weeding out potential terrorists, drug dealers and other criminals from shoppers, truckers and tourists who regularly pass through border crossings takes time. The RFID technology is designed to reduce the wait while giving authorities more information on who's coming into the country and who's leaving.

MLF

[nihil]

How do you know it was "off"?

With a $250 used RFID scanner he purchased on eBay and a low-profile antenna tucked away in his car, a security researcher recently cruised the streets along Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, where he captured -- and cloned -- a half-dozen electronic passports within an hour.

OK SF, I know, but?

http://www.darkreading.com/security/...21&cid=RSSfeed

[IKnowNot]

OK nihil , why am I not surprised?

With this in mind I will rephrase:

IMHO,

RFID has no place and does not belong on personal ID documents!!!!!!!!!

In order to be useful, a person is still going to have to be stopped and identity verified.
So how much time was really saved by not having to scan the document?

The potential abuses by everyone clearly out way any slight benefit in time that may be saved.


Again I ask, other then the manufacturers' profit, what is the wisdom behind this?


This reminds me of a recent encounter with computer salesman:

Salesman: you just missed our presentation. You know all those servers people have that are only using 5% of their processors' capacity? We can show you how virtualization will help you get the most out of your equipment.

Me: So what you are telling me is that you sold people equipment that was way over-powered for their needs. So why should I trust you now???

[nihil]

I agree, It does seem like another of these government white elephants.

Weeding out potential terrorists, drug dealers and other criminals from shoppers, truckers and tourists who regularly pass through border crossings takes time.

I guess you could identify the truckers but not the others?

From what I can see this will only simplify the falsification of documents, particularly cloning them.

Again I ask, other then the manufacturers' profit, what is the wisdom behind this?

Knee jerk politics.................we must bee seen to be doing something........... anything will do, so long as it can be seen.

[dinowuff]

Yea the Truckers are driving the big box-ie looking things. AND Terrorists don't drive trucks.

Even if the rfid card is married to the vehicle registrant, what stops someone from killing me, stealing my car and driving across the border?

All rfid does is makes those who wish to do harm, look for other avenues. And makes some people rich.

Any one remember Gatica? The two people didn't look very much alike, but due to technology, no one ever really looked at the photo on the id.