Radio chips that are replacing barcodes are a threat to privacy and susceptible to computer viruses, scientists at a Dutch university say.
Researchers at the Amsterdam's Free University created a radio frequency identity (RFID) chip infected with a virus to prove that RFID systems are vulnerable despite the extremely low memory capacity on the cheap chips.
How it works :
The problem is that an infected RFID tag, which is read wirelessly when it passes through a scanning gate, can upset the database that processes the information on the chip.
An RFID tag can be infected with a virus and this virus can infect the back-end database used by the RFID software. From there it can be easily spread to other RFID tags.
Consequences :
It is possible that criminals or militants could use an infected RFID tag to upset airline baggage handling systems with potentially devastating consequences.
The same technology could also be used to wreak havoc with the databases used by supermarkets.
Spread of RFID :
RFID has been touted as "The internet of things," in which anything from shampoo bottles to marathon runners can be tracked using radio tags.
Industries in which tracking goods is crucial such as pharmaceuticals, governments, logistics, airlines and manufacturing already use RFID technology.
Metro, Germany's biggest retailer, said at the CeBIT technology trade show it planned to save €8.5 million ($13.9 million) annually by using RFID to track stock from suppliers and at its flagship Future Store in Rheinberg town.
A recent study by ABI Research found that 10 drug products are expected to have RFID tags on a large scale this year.
The cost of making an RFID tag is about €14c today but price of RFID tags was "rapidly falling toward the €5c mark."
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Related News
Visa launches mini credit card
Visa USA has started shipping a mini credit card that fits on a keychain and only requires the user to pass it over a scanner in order to make a purchase.
The "Contactless Mini Card" is meant as a complement to a regular credit or debit card, Visa said. The smaller card's advantage is in its convenience.
At half the size of a regular credit card, it can be attached to a key chain for easy access. The mini card includes a radio-frequency identification chip and antenna that makes it readable by a scanner. It also has a magnetic strip for use in more traditional credit-card machines used by retailers.
The RFID technology used in the mini card can also support other gadgets for use as credit cards, such as mobile phones and other handheld devices, Visa USA said.
The mini card is the first contact-less device in the United States that can be issued as a companion to a standard credit card.
Researchers at the Amsterdam's Free University created a radio frequency identity (RFID) chip infected with a virus to prove that RFID systems are vulnerable despite the extremely low memory capacity on the cheap chips.
How it works :
The problem is that an infected RFID tag, which is read wirelessly when it passes through a scanning gate, can upset the database that processes the information on the chip.
An RFID tag can be infected with a virus and this virus can infect the back-end database used by the RFID software. From there it can be easily spread to other RFID tags.
Consequences :
It is possible that criminals or militants could use an infected RFID tag to upset airline baggage handling systems with potentially devastating consequences.
The same technology could also be used to wreak havoc with the databases used by supermarkets.
Spread of RFID :
RFID has been touted as "The internet of things," in which anything from shampoo bottles to marathon runners can be tracked using radio tags.
Industries in which tracking goods is crucial such as pharmaceuticals, governments, logistics, airlines and manufacturing already use RFID technology.
Metro, Germany's biggest retailer, said at the CeBIT technology trade show it planned to save €8.5 million ($13.9 million) annually by using RFID to track stock from suppliers and at its flagship Future Store in Rheinberg town.
A recent study by ABI Research found that 10 drug products are expected to have RFID tags on a large scale this year.
The cost of making an RFID tag is about €14c today but price of RFID tags was "rapidly falling toward the €5c mark."
_______________________________
Related News
Visa launches mini credit card
Visa USA has started shipping a mini credit card that fits on a keychain and only requires the user to pass it over a scanner in order to make a purchase.
The "Contactless Mini Card" is meant as a complement to a regular credit or debit card, Visa said. The smaller card's advantage is in its convenience.
At half the size of a regular credit card, it can be attached to a key chain for easy access. The mini card includes a radio-frequency identification chip and antenna that makes it readable by a scanner. It also has a magnetic strip for use in more traditional credit-card machines used by retailers.
The RFID technology used in the mini card can also support other gadgets for use as credit cards, such as mobile phones and other handheld devices, Visa USA said.
The mini card is the first contact-less device in the United States that can be issued as a companion to a standard credit card.