RFID - What are they thinking??

[se7entse7en]

Watched a segment on 16x9 yesterday regarding the RFID.
Seriously... what the heck? People can read read the data off your 'enhanced' driver's license from over 30 feet away?? A stranger brushes past you, captures all the data off your credit/debit card (account number, pin(?), and three digit security code) ... duplicate it and re-code their hotel room key to use it?

How could the rewards ever outway the risks?



Am I missing something?

[se7entse7en]

Here's the episode that I was referring to:

[geForce]

There was a CSI: NY episode on this recently.. they called it "electronic pickpocketing".
It really is scary because that's the direction we're going in more and more. There are all those FastPay credit cards that use RFID and now our driver's licenses, door access cards, skin implants... who knows what's next?

Someone should invent a RFID blocking wallet... that could possibly make tons of money.

[supersuk]

Encryption will get better.

And apparently those fast pay credit cards only limit 20 dollars or something per transaction.

I aint really worried.

[geForce]

Apparently someone already invented a RFID blocking wallet, but I don't think it's really taken off. They use a technology called the Faraday Cage to block electromagnetic waves.

[se7entse7en]

[nature boy]

i don't think there's a limit to 20 bucks. i use my fast pass or whatever it's called at superstore all the time, i've never been stopped.
and the rf blocking wallet defeats the purpose of not having to take the card out of your wallet.

what they really should be doing is NOT broadcasting the dangers. by doing so they get people thinking about how they can do it, and more people would be doing it. sure, there's always going to be someone figuring it out, but i'd rather one smart guy doing it and robbing a handful of people than a million dumbasses robbing a handful of people.

it's called playing the odds.

[geForce]

At some point you'll have to take your card out because you'll have so many cards in your wallet with RFID that the reader will get confused. Like what if you went to one of those fast pay readers that take both Visa and MC and both your Visa and MC are RFID?

[Wetundies]

As long as you got one of the hacked cards, then it doesn't matter.

[nature boy]

i actually was thinking about my octopus card in hk haha. i loved being able to leave my card in my wallet in my bag and just walk through the gate. it was pretty cool.

but i guess paying that way is a little more dangerous.

[supersuk]

http://www.rbcroyalbank.com/cards/visap ... tions.html

Most places limit to 25 dollars, but the merchant determines the limit so yes you can use it for more than 25 dollar purchases at certain places.

Some merchants will still require a pin/signature. Regular credit card zero liability, I've never had a problem reversing any problems so far(non tap). It justs a little inconvenient but getting extra charges reversed has been easy in the past.

Octopus in HK was super convenient for me.

and yes lazy.

[Duncan]

Yea, it's up to the merchant to set the limit.

I work in the industry so the CEO talks about this kinda technology every time he's in our office. It's not really about laziness, but about efficiency. It's not the laziness of either the consumer or the merchant, it's about productivity. The faster you can get people in and out with your product with the least amount of wasted time and effort, the better the bottom line. How many of us have wasted away 10 minutes of our lives waiting in line because some n00b is paying by pennies or keeps forgetting their pin or the clerk can't seem to swipe a credit card worth crap at your favourite starbucks?

Security is definitely an issue, but as with all hacks, there are always new technologies to combat that (see the chip in your visa/debit card).

I think it's a good and bad thing sure, but it's come a long way from when any n00b could peek over your shoulder and memorize your visa card number/name/exp date and somehow pwn you...

But i agree encryption has to be better.

[se7entse7en]

[nature boy]

actually, they should tell people who can't figure out the self checkout to get the hell out of self checkout. seriously, it's not that hard. they should have a simple test before anyone's allowed to use it. if they fail, off to the regular check out you go.

[Duncan]

haha... boy it sounds like some people on these forums are bitter haha