Stick it to the man with your very own RFID-Zapper

Look, we're not so hot about making our mula an RFID free-for-all, but that doesn't mean we're necessarily sure the little chips mark the coming of the Antichrist either. Nevertheless, it's fun to see some of the more paranoid types take matters into their own hands and kill those privacy invaders dead with the RFID-Zapper, a hacked up disposable camera that delivers an EMP of sorts to unsuspecting RFID tags, sending them to that great inventory management system in the sky. Doesn't look like the hardest DIY project, but we'll stick with our current methods of tin-foil hat wearing and off key humming -- it's gotten us this far.

[Via TRFJ]

[michael @ Jan 27th 2006 1:03PM]

whoa, be careful, one of those capacitors in a disposable camera packs 300v. i got zapped by one, and my arm was numb for 3 days! if you touch it with both hands, it can kill you!

[Nick Spacek @ Jan 27th 2006 1:04PM]

The link redirects to www.paypal.com?

[abigsmurf @ Jan 27th 2006 1:04PM]

Aren't these things highly illegal pretty much everywhere?

At least using mobile phone jammers wouldn't get you done for criminal damage as well as radio jamming violations...

[Zach Mauch @ Jan 27th 2006 1:05PM]

I think the more interesting problem with this would be it's use for shoplifting. RFID tags are most commonly used for security in stores. This might not be the best item for engadget to promote.

Zach

[Nick Spacek @ Jan 27th 2006 1:06PM]

Haha, I'm a noob, must've been a I'm feeling lucky search or something, the url just has garbage in it!

[max @ Jan 27th 2006 1:16PM]

Why does the "read" link take me to paypal?

[Gordon @ Jan 27th 2006 1:21PM]

I have a number of question about this hack. Clearly, hacking capacitators is dangerous, and as it was said before, touching both ends will kill you. Also, the use of this hack may not be completely legit. I can easily forsee employees at warehouses disabling RFID tags for inventory theft.

[Brian C @ Jan 27th 2006 1:23PM]

That's pretty funny. The idea of being "tracked by the government" is unsettling, of course, but I imagine the world will see much more good than bad come from RFID.

[consumer_q @ Jan 27th 2006 1:32PM]

So if I erase the my info on the tag of future passports, will I be able to get back into the USofA?

[Matt @ Jan 27th 2006 1:50PM]

Sure, there may be an application for this with theft, but all the more reason to publicize this hack then. People need to be educated on the shortcomings of any technology or else they'll be led along blindly by the promoters of that technology. Knowledge of a hack like this will spur innovation and encourage RFID tag manufacturers to create new, better RFID tags (which is good for technology, bad for consumers!).

[AndyMan1 @ Jan 27th 2006 1:51PM]

This was shown on Unscrewed (TechTV) a long time ago as a Taser, which is the same concept and result.

From personal and repeated experience (*grin*), and at least as far as disposable cameras are concerned, the capacitors don't carry enough charge to kill you. They will hurt like hell though.

It also makes a great toy to use on your drunk friends =D

[EricsProjects @ Jan 27th 2006 2:05PM]

Here is a URL that works:

http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/globalguerrillas/2006/01/weapons_the_rfi.html

[kat @ Jan 27th 2006 2:07PM]

The link should be;
http://events.ccc.de/congress/2005/wiki/RFID-Zapper%28EN%29

[Travis @ Jan 27th 2006 2:07PM]

You can hold onto both leads of the capacitor from a disposable camera all day and it won't kill you.

[Billy @ Jan 27th 2006 2:26PM]

but...I AM the man...

[Ryodoan @ Jan 27th 2006 2:38PM]

I have been shocked by a disposable camera before, and while it didnt kill me, it scared the poop out of me. The camera litteraly stuck to my hand until the capacitor discharged (probably less than a second but it felt longer) My hand was numb for a little bit, but is now fine, I would suggest using a coated wire to discharge the capacitor first.

Also, they warn you on the site that if you have medical devices such as a pacemaker to be doubly cautious... heh

[threEchelon @ Jan 27th 2006 2:40PM]

The capacitor in any disposable camera doesn't have nearly enough amps to kill you. It's perfectly safe to fool around with disposable cameras. The most you might get from a shock is a small blister.

[Whisky @ Jan 27th 2006 2:43PM]

Watch out with those Disposible Cameras, I once open one and touch some Capicitor inside and damn did i get electrocuted.

[sxates @ Jan 27th 2006 3:06PM]

I built one of these as a taser like, 10+ years ago when I was a little kid. Only shocked myself once, that was enough.

I had a quarter that was unrecognizable due to all the pit holes I put in it by zapping it repeatedly. Good times!

[Oliver @ Jan 27th 2006 4:46PM]

There was a guy on Dutch TV earlier this evening talking about RFID technology, the government's plans for it and it's implications. He ended the show by taking a regular, un-modified disposable camera, placing on top of an RFID card which had previously displayed a code when scanned, and zapped it. Sure enough, when he re-scanned the card there was no more code.

[epp_b @ Jan 27th 2006 5:06PM]

Bwa ha ha ha ha....

[benyman @ Jan 27th 2006 6:03PM]

the most youll get is a little sting from one of the capacitators. There is no way they could kill you.

[Brant @ Jan 27th 2006 6:33PM]

I just wanna know where u can find how to make one of these things!!! it looks like a fun little project ;)

P.S. touching those transitors when taking apart the camera hurt like a mother, i found that out the hard way when i was like 7 years old and thought it would be fun to take apart a camera... i sure learned my lesson!!!

[macbot3000 @ Jan 27th 2006 10:35PM]

The anti-theft tags on merchandise are NOT RFID tags.

Read more here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_article_surveillance

The difference is that there's no *ID* involved with anti-theft tags.

RFID tags have a unique identifier that can be tracked.

[sr20vet @ Jan 27th 2006 10:41PM]

As stated before the capacitors in a camera do not discharge nearly enough amps to kill you. Speak to any electrician and he'll tell you it's amperage thats dangerous not voltage. I've never been shocked by a camera cap, but I'm sure it's not as bad as a 15 amp 110v lighting circut (bastards said it was off).

Also why is everyone freaking out about RFID? It clearly says that a new encryption code is generated every time the card is used, and that the RFID key does not transmit your credit card number. So with the $20-$25 spending limit the absoloute worst that could happen is that you'd be out $25. Thats assuming the bank doesn't get a warning flag when a card tries to use the same code twice, and that you don't notice the charge on your bill.

If you really want more security with the technology push for photo verification. This system is used with access control systems linked to guard stations. Every employee has a unique prox card, and get their photo taken when they're hired. When they try to enter a controlled door the system verifies their access level, pulls up the surveilance camera that watches that door, and displays basic ID information to the security guard including photo, name, access level, etc.

I say the banks should try it out as it is, then once the technology has been proven to all the technophobes allow higher value purchases with photo verification. Give the bank a copy of your photo from your drivers license, and display that photo when you swipe your card so the cashier can visually verify it's not stolen.

[nizzy1115 @ Jan 28th 2006 1:27AM]

we played with these cameras when i was in highschool physics...trust me they aren't dangerous. I have felt an electric shock dog collar and these and they feel about the same. It jerks your hand back but thats about it. Its kindof fun to play with actually.

The goal of my physics class was to string as many of these capacitors together to get one hella of a shock and record the voltage on a meter. Funny thing is that you would get a series of like 10-12 and then you would accidently touch it somehow and you would really get zapped! It reminded me of the game operation but in real life.

[Sha66y @ Jan 28th 2006 7:28PM]

I actually WAS KILLED by the capacitor in a disposable camera. Crazy. Ooopps... have to go - St Peter is fitting me with my rfid...

[sine~language @ Jan 29th 2006 6:27PM]

macbot3000:

RFID can be used as security tags.. I was involved in a security upgrade for our city library which incorporated both book information and security into the tags for automating the borrowing/returns process. With this little zapper, nothing could stop Green Eggs and Ham from running out the doors..

[Cuba @ Jan 30th 2006 12:26AM]

About time, I've been waiting for someone to come up with one of these, Australia has just introduced a chipped passport, I need one of these to disable it.

As for those of you complaining about theft, the companies that implemented RFID in their inventory system, knew this day would come, they weighed the risk with the convenience and accuracy of RFID and made their choice.

[Mr. Potato-Head @ Jan 30th 2006 8:31AM]

A repeat CAUTION about the capacitor danger! surprisingly, 3 people per year are killed in Australia by touching their tounge on the two terminals of a (PP3) 9 volt battery. I have made this RFID zapper (for professional reasons) and 300 volts can do a lot more harm than "just" a 9V battery. (actually the 9 volt battery *might* be an urban myth - )

[Jason Anderson @ Jan 30th 2006 8:27PM]

Yes. Be VERY careful with those things! I used to work in a 1 Hour Photo Lab and we opened those things all the time. Those capacitors take a whole chunk of the battery's power and store it all at once so it can let it all out in one big blast. You do not want that going through you.

[kosmos @ May 19th 2006 11:42AM]

What a sweet gadget. All should own one. Bet it will work well on those out dated floppy disk. How about those new flash drives or that super asshole's ipod at work. This one is for that guy with the three day numb arm. It's not voltage that kills, it is the amount current that flows through your body. So keep one hand in your back pocket when dealing with high voltage devices. Have a happy ZAPPER day and keep on Hacking.

[Kio @ Jun 29th 2006 6:58PM]

Some1 answer this, what’s the distance on this sort of thing. Would it travels through my side wall on my house into the neighbour’s sitting room and blow that crazy loud radio player of his???

Also every1 is talking about destroying rfid's. What about electrical products, phones, tv's, laptops, my brain(electrical current flowing through it in the billions).

[bl00dy c0d3r @ Jul 22nd 2006 8:58PM]

why the big buzz around electrolitic capacitors ?? I mean havent any of you ever studied electronics ?? all of you are rigth about that electrolitic capacitors are dangerous, but only when they are charged, lets see the following formula: C = charge / Voltage, where C is Faradais, well i acan't explain every thing. but if you do some experimenting whith the formula you may find for example, an electrostatic discharge, as the ones finded when you and some one else get "electrocuted" by each other, that means 4,000 vots max hapenn to pas rigth twru your skin, Thats alot, but still not enuf to kill you, and for example a car battery, it's 12 volts but it has about 6 amps thats eneuf to kill you if you happen to be in a wet enviroment, at the end it's youst math, and get interested in electronics design.
note: because I found this page yous's by surfing and you have a good counter point, email me at [e-mail] If you have any cuestions about anything, mail me, I kind of like helping people and I am an expert at: Scripting, Programing, Animation (Flash), 3D tool as Autocad, SkechUp, and Swift 3D, mainly i am interested in computers
ps. I have also teached many people how to hack, and crak software, and social engenniring, sorry bout my bad english, I live in Tijuana :D (Mexico) please note, I do NOT spoonfeed every one of you, you need to put something of your part.

[Nevermore @ Aug 18th 2006 5:46AM]

Actually i wish to try build one of those, but the problem is that the article lacks of every details about the coil..
how many turns, which wire diameter, what diameter of the coil...w/o those details is impossible to build an effective one..

[r lewis @ Mar 3rd 2007 8:30PM]

Why cant I just use my stun gun on the card or passport??