{"id":495768,"date":"2022-09-24T20:13:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-24T17:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/what-is-rfid-and-is-it-really-a-security-concern\/"},"modified":"2022-09-24T20:13:00","modified_gmt":"2022-09-24T17:13:00","slug":"what-is-rfid-and-is-it-really-a-security-concern","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-rfid-and-is-it-really-a-security-concern\/","title":{"rendered":"#What Is RFID, and Is It Really a Security Concern?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2994f5dfe0c\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2994f5dfe0c\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-rfid-and-is-it-really-a-security-concern\/#%E2%80%9CWhat_Is_RFID_and_Is_It_Really_a_Security_Concern%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;What Is RFID, and Is It Really a Security Concern?&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-rfid-and-is-it-really-a-security-concern\/#How_RFID_Works\" >How RFID Works<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-rfid-and-is-it-really-a-security-concern\/#Common_Uses_of_RFID\" >Common Uses of RFID<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-rfid-and-is-it-really-a-security-concern\/#Security_and_Privacy_Concerns\" >Security and Privacy Concerns<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CWhat_Is_RFID_and_Is_It_Really_a_Security_Concern%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;What Is RFID, and Is It Really a Security Concern?&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage wp-image-834958 size-full\" data-pagespeed-no-defer=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/shutterstock_1058070866.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"An RFID label.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-crediturl=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/radio-frequency-identification-transponder-antenna-high-1058070866\" data-credittext=\"Audrius Merfeldas\/Shutterstock.com\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/radio-frequency-identification-transponder-antenna-high-1058070866\">Audrius Merfeldas\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>RFID is a <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technology<\/a> that surrounds us every day. It\u2019s in our credit cards, passports, and some of the products we buy. Even many of our pets have RFID chips in them!<\/p>\n<p>RFID is essentially a form of electronic bar tag \u2014 one that can be much smaller. A nearby reader can use radiowaves to read the RFID tag without any visual contact.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_RFID_Works\"><\/span>How RFID Works<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>RFID stands for radio-frequency identification. A small chip \u2014 known as an RFID tag \u2014 is attached to or implanted in an object. The tags contain information that can be read at short range via radio waves. The chip and reader don\u2019t have to touch.<\/p>\n<p>Some RFID tags can be powered by a battery, but many RFID tags aren\u2019t self-powered. They\u2019re powered by the electromagnetic field created by the reader. In other words, most RFID tags sit idle most of the time. When they come near (or are waved over) an RFID reader, the reader provides enough power for the data on the tag to be read.<\/p>\n<p>NFC (near-field communication)\u00a0is a subset of RFID that offers shorter range but enables two-way communication so two devices can communicate\u2014rather than a reader simply reading data from a tag.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>What is NFC (Near Field Communication), and What Can I Use It For?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Common_Uses_of_RFID\"><\/span>Common Uses of RFID<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-834959\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/shutterstock_723071707.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Contactless credit card payment in a store.\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>RFID tags can replace bar codes and QR codes. A bar code can only be read if the reader can visually see the bar code. RFID tags can be read if the reader is nearby, even if a bar code would be obscured. RFID tags can be used for tracking packages in the mail or goods in a warehouse. The RFID tag can contain tracking information or just a unique identification code.<\/p>\n<p>Modern passports in many countries \u2014 including the USA and Canada \u2014 also contain an RFID chip. When you cross the border, the border agent can scan the passport, and the machine can read the data from the RFID chip.<\/p>\n<p>RFID chips are also used in credit cards with contactless payments. When you tap a credit card to pay for something, the machine reads an RFID chip embedded in the card. They\u2019re also used for transit systems, tolls, and security access cards. They can be read by a machine with a quick tap.<\/p>\n<p>Many household pets also have RFID chips embedded in them. If your dog or cat is \u201cchipped,\u201d it has a small microchip injected between its shoulder blades. The microchip normally doesn\u2019t do anything and consumes no power. If your pet is ever lost, a veterinarian or animal shelter can read the microchip with an RFID reader. The chip has a unique identification number embedded in it, and the vet or shelter can call up the chip company and see whose name and address is associated with that pet\u2019s unique number. Your pet can then be returned to you, even if it doesn\u2019t have a collar or any other identifying information. This isn\u2019t magic \u2014 it doesn\u2019t provide GPS and you should ensure your contact details are up-to-date with the microchip company. It\u2019s just a way for the pet to have unique identification information. The same technique can be used to associate a unique identification number with other animals \u2014 tiny RFID chips have even been used to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.bristol.ac.uk\/news\/2009\/6292.html\">track the movements of ants<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>QR Codes Explained: Why You See Those Square Barcodes Everywhere<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Security_and_Privacy_Concerns\"><\/span>Security and Privacy Concerns<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Some people are concerned that attackers could use a handheld device in a crowd to read RFID information from nearby credit cards with contactless payment information embedded in them. Identity thieves could read the same information from an RFID-enabled passport or a security access card with an RFID chip. In 2006, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/redirect.viglink.com\/?key=204a528a336ede4177fff0d84a044482&amp;u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theregister.co.uk%2F2006%2F01%2F30%2Fdutch_biometric_passport_crack%2F&amp;cuid=xid:{xid}&amp;___trxnet=vg\">a Dutch passport was read from ten meters away<\/a>. That\u2019s why some people purchase RFID-blocking wallets, card holders, or passport cases. These just work by including a metal material that blocks the radio waves of an RFID reader.<\/p>\n<p>Other people are concerned that RFID could be used to track people\u2019s movements. Perhaps the RFID chips in products we buy or in our credit cards themselves could be tracked by readers in various locations as we move around. This isn\u2019t too crazy \u2014 in 2013, a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/redirect.viglink.com\/?key=204a528a336ede4177fff0d84a044482&amp;u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.com%2Fnews%2Ftechnology-23665490&amp;cuid=xid:{xid}&amp;___trxnet=vg\">company was using recycling bins around the city of London<\/a> to collect information from nearby smartphones as they searched for Wi-Fi networks. They used this information to track people around the city of London and show tailored ads to them. Companies could attempt to do the same with nearby RFID tags.<\/p>\n<p>No, you shouldn\u2019t panic and start smashing your RFID-enabled credit cards and passports with a hammer. RFID is one of the many ways technology makes life more convenient but can lead to new security and privacy problems. This is just something to be aware of.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p>RFID could be used for other purposes in the future. One old idea is that RFID could be used for shopping. You\u2019d go to a grocery store and place all the items you want in your cart. Each item would have an RFID chip in it. When you\u2019re done shopping, you\u2019d simply walk out of the store, and an RFID reader near the exit would automatically read all the RFID tags to determine what you\u2019re buying. You\u2019d be billed for those products without any scanning required.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/b?ie=UTF8&amp;node=16008589011&amp;tag=lsmedia-11020-20\">Amazon Go stores<\/a> are now accomplishing this without any RFID required\u2014just cameras and machine-learning algorithms.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/189936\/htg-explains-what-is-rfid\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;What Is RFID, and Is It Really a Security Concern?&#8221; Audrius Merfeldas\/Shutterstock.com RFID is a technology that surrounds us every day. It\u2019s in our credit cards, passports, and some of the products we buy. Even many of our pets have RFID chips in them! RFID is essentially a form of electronic bar tag \u2014 one&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":495769,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/shutterstock_1058070866.jpg?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-495768","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495768","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=495768"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495768\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/495769"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=495768"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=495768"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=495768"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}