Radio Frequency Identification
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Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Systems
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Top News
• EPIC Urges FTC to Establish Privacy Safeguards for RFID Tags. In comments to the Federal Trade Commission, EPIC reiterated recommendations (pdf) it made in 2004 to the consumer protection agency to address the risks to consumer safety of the unregulated use of RFID tags that reveal personal data. The FTC is hosting a “Transatlantic RFID Workshop on Consumer Privacy and Data Security" to discuss consumer concerns. The workshop follows an event, organized by the US Department of Commerce, promoting the benefits of RFID. Comments on RFID may be submitted to the FTC until October 23. (Sept. 22).
• Legal Battle May Disallow Publication on Cracked RFID Chip. Researchers from the Dutch Radboud University have cracked and cloned London's Oyster travel card, after cracking the Dutch Mifare Travel card. The latter would be used in a nationwide network for billing of public transportation. Both cards use the Mifare Classic RFID tags, which relies for its security on an algorithm that can be cracked with modest effort. The troubled card provides for contact-less entrance to public transportations and office buildings worldwide.
The manufacturer of the chip, NXP, follows Dutch secretary of state Tineke Huizinga in claiming that publication of the results is irresponsible. While NXP is taking the researchers to court, the University issued a statement (Dutch) valuing scientific publication of security leaks and mentioning that the publication will help NXP to develop a better chip. The results will be published at the European computer security (Esorics) conference in Spain in September of this year.
• EPIC...
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