rfid
Latest
New Korean RFID device claims to help prevent wine fraud
It's sorta unclear to us exactly how this new flavor of RFID tags is going to prevent wine fraud, but nonetheless, Sontec, a Korean RFID manufacturer is claiming as much. As we noted only a few weeks ago, wine fraud is big business, and every wine and winery from Chateauneuf-du-Pape to Penfolds surely would want a way to prevent their label's image from being tarnished. Sontec's new RFID, which operates at 900MHz, apparently has a range of up to three meters and will include the origin, date of production and distribution channel of the wine. Presumably if a wine (or other spirits) was diluted and still had this tag on it, no one would be the wiser, but given how secure RFID is, it's not like nefarious faux-wine peddlers would even really have to stoop to those means.
VeriChip wants to chip every US soldier
Despite some pretty significant security concerns, everyone's favorite futurific company VeriChip is looking to get its chips under the skin of the largest group of people yet: the entire US military. According to the DC Examiner, the company is lobbying the Pentagon to choose its RFID tags as a replacement for the famous metal dog tags, making information like a person's name and complete medical record instantly available with the swipe of an RFID reader. Needless to say, not everyone's sold on the idea, with veterans' groups and some members of Congress already raising concerns. There doesn't seem to be any indication as to when a decision might be made, although given VeriChip's political connections, we wouldn't be so quick to bet against it.[Via Newsmax]
VoIP and RFID party down in Japanese dressing rooms
Full points for effective buzzword usage here: Japanese department chain Mitsokoshi is implementing a new system in their dressing rooms that allows patrons to scan RFID-tagged items and then use a VoIP phone to check inventory and call for other items to be brought. The whole system is tied into Mitsokoshi's Point Of Sale system to have real-time info on inventory, and since most of the system is based on Cisco phones the installation costs about $700-800, instead of $20,000-25,000 for a similar setup based on touchscreen kiosks. When an RFID-equipped clothing item is scanned, different sizes, colors and similar product show up for selection on the 5.6-inch touchscreen of the phone, and picking up the phone to call for help is a bit more discreet than shouting out your ever expanding waist size over the dressing room wall. The setup is being provided by Litescape, who claims to be already demonstrating to US retailers such as Abercrombie, Home Depot, the Gap and Virgin Mega -- so maybe we won't have to be too far behind Japan in this regard. Go USA.[Via RFID in Japan]
Scaremongers dub RFID passports as potential bomb trigger
Sure, we have just as many concerns over RFID-related security technology as anybody, but a new report by mobile security experts Flexilis seems to take things a bit too far. In their report on the lacking shielding of the new e-passports, allowing the passport to be read by a high-powered reader if the book is slightly open, they go on to illustrate the "dangers" of such a security lapse by calling it a potential bomb trigger. Their demonstration involves a passport-toting dummy brushing by a trash can, which explodes once the dummy gets too close. The Flexilis guys even conjecture that a country ID code could eventually be identified in passports, allowing for targeted bombing of citizens from specific countries. The problem with all this, is that any radio-transmitting device could potentially trigger a bomb (phone, Bluetooth device, etc.), nobody has hacked an RFID country code yet, and the situations that would call for this sort of bomb are even more far-fetched than the concept. There's nothing much special about RFID in this regard, other than some security "experts" trying to cash in on the hysteria. Check the video after the break, and judge for yourself whether or not RFID is going to be the hip-cool new detonation system of the decade. We're thinking no.[Via textually.org]
US to launch RFID passports on Monday
Despite the various privacy concerns that have been repeatedly raised in regards to e-passports, the US is going ahead with their plans to launch the system this Monday. Not all newly-issued passports will be RFID-enabled, since mass production has been held up by the ongoing legal dispute over the technology. The first passports to be issued will be those produced during the pilot run of the project, but the full roll-out should be completed in about a year. Including the extra $12 security surcharge slapped onto passports last year, the new and "improved" models will cost $97, the same as they do currently. If you're overly concerned about the security implications or potential apocalypse causation, you might want to nab a passport now, since traditional passports will be valid until their listed expiration date. We'll manage like usual: hills, tin-foil, condensed milk, etc.
UK's ATM cards thoroughly trounced by ID thieves
Alright, this is getting out of hand. We were a little wary at the first when we heard about tying RFID so closely to our monies, and that Chase Bank blink card of ours has been collecting dust ever since it showed up in the mail, but the latest failings of RFID "security" have us running for the hills -- tin foil hat in tow. Apparently some UK scoundrels teamed up with a crooked gas station attendant to nab credit card numbers from RFID smart card-enabled credit cards. They then stashed this info on the magnetic strips of phone cards, and flew over to India to make withdrawls. Since Indian ATMs don't require the double identification of RFID smart card and magnetic strip, just the strip, they were able to manage quite a bit of cash before a vigilant security guard spotted them making withdrawls from multiple cards in succession. The gang of four men were caught with $14,000 and 116 credit cards. To make things worse, the UK Cyber Crime Unit wasn't even aware of the existence of RFID chips, (makes sense, since the cards don't use such technology) and we're not sure what's to stop another group of clever hackers making off with another set of credit cards and forever ruining any hope of security we've managed to hold onto so far.UPDATE: Turns out there was some serious misinformation floating around, since UK cards don't even use RFID, but instead operate with smart cards that require physical contact. This makes roughly 95% of our ranting completely irrelevant, but the heist is disconcerting all the same.[Via Boing Boing]
TI launches second-generation RFID silicon
With corporate giants like Wal-Mart embracing RFID in every potential nook and cranny of their supply chain, it's becoming quite the profitable little cottage industry, and Texas Instruments apparently wants a bigger piece of the pie. With the announcement of its EPC second-generation UHF-based RFID silicon, the company has blazed its own trail by insourcing the fabrication of its tags and marketing the new chips to retailers who rely on fast-paced data transmissions in their manufacturing and distribution channels. The new Gen 2 silicon obviously has complex underpinnings responsible for the changes; as TI states, it's developed "on the most advanced analog process node at 130 nanometer and with a built-in Schottky diode [saywha?] for more efficient conversion of RF signal energy." While that may not mean much to you, the skinny is that these new tags have increased chip-to-reader sensitivity, so more packages can be read at a faster pace from a greater distance than before. What this provides end-users with is greater flexibility, which has been a issue with passive RFID thus far -- new wafers and chips can be placed in more varied locations on pallets, boxes, and even flexible packaging such as bags, without fear of slipping under the radar (literally). And, as always, while retailers may dig the the increased read-range, we're sure it won't be long before the privacy advocates introduce a high-proximity RFID scrambler just in case these tags make the jump from packaging to people.
German hackers clone RFID e-passports
Oh snap. First the Dutch get their RFID e-passport system cracked, then VeriChip gets its "counterfeit proof" RFID implant copied by a pair of hackers in front of a live audience, and now some hackers in Germany have undermined some of the security behind the electronic passports that the United States and other countries are planning to implement this month. Lukas Grunwald did the honors this time, and says it took him about two weeks to figure out the hack, with most of his time spent reading the publicly available e-passport standards on the International Civil Aviation Organization's official website. Since all countries will be adhering to the ICAO's standard, his hack should work on other passports as well. Grunwald demonstrated for Wired the whole process of cloning a passport, and even proceeded to copy the data to a corporate smartcard, which when slipped between the normal RFID chip and the reader allows him to have a physical passport that differs from his RFID passport. All is not lost however, since most countries plan to have physical inspections to make sure everything matches up, and information cannot currently be modified on the passport -- but the security failures so far sure don't inspire a lot of confidence.
VeriChip's human-implatable RFID chips clonable, sez hackers
In case anyone needed more proof that we're all living in a Philip K. Dick novel, a pair of hackers have recently demonstrated how human-implantable RFID chips from VeriChip can be easily cloned, effectively stealing the person's identity. Annalee Newitz and Jonathan Westhues showed off their handiwork at the HOPE Number Six conference in New York City this weekend, with Newitz herself playing the role of guinea pig, implanting a VeriChip RFID chip in her right arm. To clone the chip, Westhues first read Newitz's arm with a standard RFID reader, then scanned it again with a homebrew antenna connected to his laptop, which recorded the signal off the chip. He then used the same RFID reader to read the signal from his laptop, which promptly spit out Newtiz's supposedly unique ID. For its part, VeriChip has only said they haven't yet had a chance to review the evidence but still insist that "it's very difficult to steal a VeriChip." [Via Techdirt]
Researchers developing anti-RFID device
Ever wonder if you'd object to currency, clothing, or even your body getting embedded with an RFID chip? The idea isn't that far-fetched, and it's just a matter of time before something you own is tagged. Joining a growing list of RFID-shielders, Vrije University's Andrew Tanenbaum, an anti-RFID advocate, is pressing forward with a team of researchers in Amsterdam to finalize a palm-sized device that would block incoming RFID searches and alert the user that they just about got violated. The RFID Guardian is powered by a 550MHz XScale processor (as found in many PDAs) with 64MB of RAM and runs on the eCos open source OS. The mechanics are pretty complex, but the short of it is the Guardian uses "standard authentication algorithms from cryptography" to recognize RFID readers and to accomplish its two primary objectives: tag spoofing and tag jamming, both of which prevent your RFID tagged object from being identified. The likelihood of mainstream adoption of the device is probably slim, but if your paranoia gets the best of you the RFID Guardian can keep the digital violators at bay. There's currently no estimated price as finalized specs have yet to be determined, but just to get a better idea of its design, peep a picture of the prototype after the break. [Via Personal Tech Pipeline]
-(custom).jpg.cf.jpg)
RFID to prevent loss of surgical sponges inside patients
We always said those sophisticated tracking tags had to be good for something other than data processing and jazzing up passports, and as the list of applications continues to grow, a study at Stanford University is showing how RFID chips can be used to potentially save lives. 1 out of 10,000 surgery survivors will experience the misfortune of having a foreign object remain in them after they're all sewn up, and nearly 67% of those remnants are surgical sponges. The traditional tracking system (eyes and careful counting) has failed enough times to cause 57 deaths since 2000, definitely not something you want to hear when you're going under the knife. Researchers have determined that tagging sponges (and other supplies) with RFID tags allows for a chip-reader to scan the body and detect any remaining, erm, used paraphernalia, yet to be removed. Volunteer-led studies have shown a perfect success rate in discovering leftovers thus far, and hopes are to have every instrument in the OR RFID'ed. This may make a few folks queasy, but we're all for keeping our innards a sponge-free environment.
RFID Passports coming to the US in August
It has been a long and extremely troubled road for the ePassport here in the US, but it looks like they'll finally start hitting carry on bags of non-diplomats late next month. The new RFID tag-toting documents will store all of your personal data, including name, address, nationality, a picture, a digitized fingerprint and just about every other thing crooks would need to take your identity for a joyride. The government is insisting that they've taken the necessary precautions to prevent data "skimming," but that can be a lot trickier than it sounds. Just ask the Dutch. Ultimately, the technology could go either way, acting as an effective method of cross-checking people across a vast security network as they move from country to country, or evolving into an omnipresent grid of surveillance that will spread viruses and confine us all to our homes lest we feel the wrath of cyber criminals or high-tech fascists. So let us know how it turns out, we'll be in the basement with our RFID-blocking wallet and tin foil hat.
PlusID by Privaris does biometric security on a fob
If you, or your employees, are getting sick of carrying an ever-growing array of passwords and keycards, Privaris is hoping they have a solution for you. The plusID system uses biometrics to read your fingerprint -- not your face, brain or heart -- with fobs that communicate via RFID with many existing security systems, such as HID, Indala and Kantech. The plusID75, which begins shipping in August, is USB and Bluetooth compatible, uses a "tamper-resistant secure processor" that stores data right on the device rather than in a centralized database and will go about 1,000 uses before needing a recharge. A lower-end model, the plusID60, also appears to be available on the product page, lacking in the Bluetooth and one-time password implementation, presumably so it'll take up less budget space. Of course we'll still have our reservations about transmitting sensitive data with these, at least until we've heard some reviews -- or the CIA starts using them to get into their underground labs, or better yet, their guns.
Beverage Tracker declares war on strong, free drinks
Once the world's bartenders are all replaced by robots, so-called liquor shrinkage will probably only occur if the bots can be hacked to measure out stronger drinks, but until that day, overpouring and undercharging will remain a $7 billion-a-year nightmare for bars in the U.S. alone. Well a San Francisco-based company called Capton says it can solve the problem today without resorting to expensive, unfriendly robots by using a system called the Beverage Tracker to keep a real-time tally of all the liquor that's been consumed and help shame the human bartenders into more accurate pour counts. The $10,000 to $20,000 setup consists of an RFID-enabled spout that's attached to every open bottle, a reader that collects and transmits information, and proprietary software that runs on the bar's existing computer; each time a drink is poured, the spout measures the volume of liquor, stamps that data with the time and bottle ID number, and sends it off to be collated into nightly reports that can be used as evidence for handing out the pink slips. So far over 100 establishments have installed the Beverage Tracker to keep their employees honest, with the latest being Treasure Island in Las Vegas -- which is good to know, because for the 15 minutes of free time we're given each year at CES, we can't afford to hit up a bar that's gonna be so frugal with the booze.[Via Roland Piquepaille]
RuBee protocol overcomes RFID shortcomings
Just when you thought you were safe from RFID-snooping technology, a new contactless transmission system comes along that promises to make your lead-lined wallet obsolete, thanks to its ability to transmit data though metal and liquid (not sure about liquid metal though). The IEEE has just tasked a working group with finalizing the specs on the so-called RuBee protocol, which uses magnetic -- as opposed to radio -- signals in order to transfer information, making it useful for so-called "harsh environments" where RFID chips fail, such as retail locations where shoplifters line their bags with aluminum foil to fool anti-theft systems. While RuBee's similar transmission range and cost would make it seem like a no-brainer replacement for current RFID applications, its relatively slow speed makes it unsuitable for tracking the numerous, moving products in a typical warehouse. RuBee-enabled devices will also have the advantage of transmitting data directly to the Internet, and with backers like Sony, HP, IBM, Best Buy, and Tesco, you can bet that we'll be hearing more about this tech in the coming year.[Via The Inquirer]
What's up with Sega's RFID card reader?
Okay, Engadget readers. You managed to get to the bottom of the Sony Blu-ray demo mystery. Now, we're counting on you to solve another one. What you see pictured here is Maxell's Picochet RFID card reader. It's been out in Japan for a couple of years, and has been marketed for such mundane tasks as reading time cards for beleaguered salarymen and storing healthcare records in hospitals. However, the card has just cleared the FCC, and according to Sega's documentation (yes, that Sega, they filed on this), the version sent in for testing is going to be Sega-branded, and is planned for use with " devices prepared by Sega." Now, last time we checked, Sega isn't exactly making a whole lot of devices anymore. So, what are they planning to do with this thing? Is it for a PC version of the company's popular Sangokushi Japanese arcade game, which uses RFID readers as part of the gameplay (possibly, given that there are console and PC versions of the game for platforms from the PC to the DS)? Is it a Wii or PS3 peripheral? Or is Sega going into the industrial RFID business? It's a mystery, dear readers; one we're confident you can help us solve.
Visa and Nokia team up for mobile payments
It's not as foreign of a concept now that PayPal is offering mobile payments in the good ol' US of A and RFID credit cards abound, but Visa and Nokia are getting their own little project off the ground in Malaysia for credit card payments from a mobile phone. The "Mobile Visa Wave Payment Pilot" is based on the simple idea of smart card payments, but embeds the radio inside a Nokia phone instead of a credit card. During the trial, 200 Visa Wave cardholders will get to spend their monies with the wave of a special Nokia 3230 phone, with 2500 retail outlets accepting such payments. Visa of course claims a great deal of security for the project, but we're still leaving that blink card at home for now.
Sony's So-net VOD HDTV box with FeliCa
Sony seems intent to prove you can -- and one day will -- buy just about everything with FeliCa, their contactless payment system we've been talking up for years now. Latest on the block is So-net distributed high definition video on demand service, which plays back MPEG-2, VC-1, and h.264 video on a Sentivision set top box with a 600MHz CPU and a 40GB internal drive; you pay for the privilege instantly with your FeliCa card, phone, implant, etc. We know, we know, it hurts; but one of these days when a large swath of this ginormous nation gets fiber to the home, we'll probably ourselves likely see similar VOD / IPTV systems.[Via Impress]
The Ladybag remembers your stuff with RFID
We carry handhelds so we don't forget what we've got to do, but what happens when we forget our handheld? Six students from Canada's Simon Fraser University don't have an answer, but they have developed the latest in purse technology to help prevent the aforementioned situation from occuring to the ladies. The Ladybag's function is fairly simple: an RFID scanner in the bottom of the bag will display a LED-lit icon of whatever it is you didn't remember to embagify. (It'll also display emoticons of how your bag thinks you're feeling, depending on how you're holding and handling it.) Of course, if you're like us and frequently forget your bag when out and about, you'd do best to skip the Ladybag (or Manbag, as it were) and make like us: find a keeper.[Via The Raw Feed]
