Hackers clone passports in drive-by RFID heist

Hackers clone passports in drive-by RFID heist

www.itnews.com.au

A British hacker has shown how easy it is to clone US passport cards that use RFID by conducting a drive-by test on the streets of San Francisco.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I swear, everytime the government does something that's supposed to protect our identity, it just makes it even easier to steal. Unlike some poor security though, because this is the government, we won't be able to avoid it.

As someone who fools around with electronics and computers, I don't believe they can ever be made secure enough for these uses.



As he says in the video, reader stations around the city will be able to track you everywhere you go. These reader stations could be owned by anyone, but we can be sure that government will have tracking stations in all major cities, harvesting that data to help them further track your every move.

www.itnews.com.au
(visit the link for the full news article)


[edit on 5-2-2009 by RubberBaron]

I heart hackers!

It's stories like this that make me appreciate my RFID blocking wallet even more. I'll have to thank my wife again for it when she gets home from work.

reply to post by Angus65


haha i thought you were joking then but i did a quick search & hey presto - there real!

Cheers for the tip!

Yes, I think getting one of those wallets would be a good idea. That reminds me of an old news story, where a famous computer programmer covered his ID in foil at a UN conference, and encouraged others to join him. The UN was not amused.

www.theinquirer.net...

I know they work -- I tested mine. If my security badge for work is in it, I can't get in the building. The readers on the entry doors can't read the signal from my card unless I open my wallet.

I got a passport holder from one of those companies from a friend before I went out of the country last summer. It was nicer than I expected, held everything I needed and didn't look like a tin foil hat for my passport, was actually quite stylish. I'd use it even if it didn't offer that hidden extra security.

Heads-up. This was posted a few days ago.

Passport RFIDs cloned wholesale by $250 eBay auction spree

This is a disaster in the making.

The sad thing is that nothing will put this genie back in the bottle.

Hackers rule. With out them, the world would be boring and we wouldn't know where the back doors are.

I was interviewed by a news paper editor 2 years ago about all of this. I went into more detail then this guy but yeah what he says is true. Not to mention theres a lot hes not getting into. Doesnt even matter if youre carrying a wallet to shield it, you have to use it sometime. If I want to get your information specifically, I will. 2.4ghz directional antennas are extremely easy to build. They can cost 100 bucks yet be built out of a pringles can. Or better yet a soup can for 3 dollars.

RFID dump was one of the first programs to hack RFIDs. Its a Linux program. People would walk down an isle in a grocery store and reprogram the chips on the items. Then checking out you could reduce the price of the item. Or just create havoc. RFIDs will never be safe and will make it much easier to steal information.

Its a dumb idea and the only reason the government wants it is to track you.

lol. It's about time people started realizing what we've been warning against all this time.

I remember the first time I unlocked a door with an RFID key.
I immediately thought "Christ, it would be easier to steal this than it would be to steal an ordinary key. All I'd need to do is stick a pad and logger right next to the one on the door."


Then I started seeing the same technology used in more data sensitive environments... every time I see these things I cringe, because I know how easy it is to steal.

I liken it to walking around with lots of copies of your personal information and keys loosely hanging from your coat tails... where anyone can walk up and take everything you own.

The best part is, you're willingly letting them.