[LINK] Re: RFID in Govt, and in People

[Adam Todd]

Was shown someone's new Aussie Passport today and had a giggle at the 
"electronic security" implant that contains "all the same information on 
the identification page of your passport" which I presume means the Photograph.


They say it's important to keep the passport safe and secure and not let it 
get lost or stolen because people, such as terrorists, might assume your 
identity.

So ya know I couldn't bloody resist!

First some "electronic tests" based on basic RFID principals.  Then some 
googling to find some nitty gritty, and a short time later some perl script 
and presto!

 From 478 cm's away I could read the RFID with no problem at all.  At 1000 
cm's it was still good.  At 3000 cm's no problem.  At 6800 cm's it was hit 
and miss.

I'm not even going to begin with what happens after you can read 
it.  Needless to say, without appropriate protection forget about worrying 
about the LOSS of your physical passport, if only the damn thing sounded an 
alarm when it was read from nearly 10 meters away, we might be able to 
protect our photo, signature and other data that enables ANYONE to assume 
your identity with NO EFFORT AT ALL.

<sigh>