Congratulations to RFID chip maker NXP for landing a 10 year deal with the country of Germany. Beginning in November, citizens of Germany will be required to receive a new ID card with the RFID chip inside of it. This will allow numerous German based authorities to scan the ID card and get a reliable and fast response.
Authorities groups like local police, Customs, and Tax Collecting will be able to use the scanning ability in the new RFID chips. These chips will contain all personal data on them and be accessible over a Wireless Connection. The other abilities of the ID card, is that citizens can identify themselves on the internet with a RFID reader at home. Of course you will have to register an online account to allow access to secure shopping, downloading music, and interact with the Government.
Now the United States and other countries have required that passports contain RFID chips containing a digital picture and fingerprint in them. They have been in use for the last 5 years. Some of the earlier chips used a security protocol called Basic Access Control (BAC), which was of course easily hacked by university researchers and "security" experts.
Now these German required RFID ID's would of course be using a new form of security that hasn't been hacked yet, right? The answer is Yes and No. The "basic" information (e.g. Picture and Finger Print) would use the older BAC protocol, but your more sensitive data is to be locked under a newer security protocol (that hasn't been cracked yet).
Security and personal privacy advocates are concerned that these ID cards could be illegally accessed and then the stored data could be used in a malicious manner. After accessing someone's personal data, one would be able to create forged passports or even access bank accounts.
Link:
German RFID's
Related Articles to RFID's
How RFID's Could Be Used
US Passport RFID Concerns
Authorities groups like local police, Customs, and Tax Collecting will be able to use the scanning ability in the new RFID chips. These chips will contain all personal data on them and be accessible over a Wireless Connection. The other abilities of the ID card, is that citizens can identify themselves on the internet with a RFID reader at home. Of course you will have to register an online account to allow access to secure shopping, downloading music, and interact with the Government.
Now the United States and other countries have required that passports contain RFID chips containing a digital picture and fingerprint in them. They have been in use for the last 5 years. Some of the earlier chips used a security protocol called Basic Access Control (BAC), which was of course easily hacked by university researchers and "security" experts.
Now these German required RFID ID's would of course be using a new form of security that hasn't been hacked yet, right? The answer is Yes and No. The "basic" information (e.g. Picture and Finger Print) would use the older BAC protocol, but your more sensitive data is to be locked under a newer security protocol (that hasn't been cracked yet).
Security and personal privacy advocates are concerned that these ID cards could be illegally accessed and then the stored data could be used in a malicious manner. After accessing someone's personal data, one would be able to create forged passports or even access bank accounts.
Link:
German RFID's
Related Articles to RFID's
How RFID's Could Be Used
US Passport RFID Concerns
