Disable RFID

Radio Frequency Identification, commonly known as RFID, is an automatic detection method that makes use of RFID tags.  Information is stored and retrieved using RFID tags or chips or transponders. More plainly explained, an RFID tag is an object or a device that can be attached to a product and/or embedded in a person or an animal to identify it with the help of radio waves.

How do RFID Tags function?

RFIDs have been designed to track an individual by the merchandise that is carried inside or outside a store, quite beyond the point of sale. This can include clothing, cosmetics, and food items and practically anything manufactured. These tags can be tiny radio responders or they can be quite big depending upon the purpose of its use and its price. These tags or chips can be attached to anything for account, theft prevention or shoplifting as is more common today and other such purposes. They function in the same manner as devices like “EZPass” and "SpeedPass" that allows one to pay tolls and purchase gas without any communication. A radio signal transmitted provides the power, and the transponder answers by transmitting out a serial number in a radio reaction.

Privacy Issues over RFID

The facility of detecting, jamming and/or disabling an RFID by any other person is a valid anxiety for those, who cares for his or her privacy. With an ever-increasing intrigue in this technology, a controversy has sprung up as to the correct use of it and certain privacy rights of individuals. Some of those privacy issues are that firstly, a person may not necessarily be alert of the presence of the tag or have knowledge of the new device and will not be able to discard it. Secondly, the tag can be read at a quite a distance without the learning of the person. Eavesdroppers can have an easy task to go about their thieving their way into peoples businesses and to a layman, the RFID technology will be seen as another device for bugging instead of looking over the more valuable and important uses of the technology.

Life of RFID tag

Majority of the anxieties are relating to the fact that RFID tags attached to products remain purposeful even after the goods have been purchased and taken home, and thus can be used for observation and other nefarious or worse, sinister purposes not linked to their supply string inventory functions. Unattended RFID tags are said to pose ecological risks. RFID tags are actually only legitimately intended for short-distance use, but they can be interrogated from greater distances by anyone who possesses a high-gain antenna, possibly allowing the inside of a house to be scanned from a distance.
It is a matter of concern for scores of people, that with these little computerized account tags on all things now a days, ones privacy could be invaded in new and menacing ways. It is looked upon as just another tool in the hands of a mischief monger. The theory is that anyone can be secretly scanned in public places, and the RFID codes from the worn clothing and personal belongings can be used to track and observe ones movements. A few stores have assured their customers to erase or do away with the tags at the checkout so those little chips cannot be used that way or better, cannot fall into wrong hands and be misused, but one still cannot be sure.

Shielding/ Protecting against RFID intercepts

In the US market, innumerable products are now on hand that allows a person carrying RFID-enabled cards or passports to block their data from being read by unfriendly chip readers. Wrapping an RFID card in aluminum foil is claimed to make transmission harder, yet one cannot vouch that the transmission is completely shielded.
An assortment of methods can be made use of to protect one’s card against RFID data interception:

1. Most RFID chips can be crippled or disabled by physical damage: for instance, the sharp blow of a hammer can disallow the chip inside RFID credit cards from functioning thus providing relief to a worried customer.
2. One can thwart the RFID transponders from getting power. Obstructing the power supply can do this.
3. By merely smashing up the antenna or transmitter/ aerial one can stop any intercepts from unrequired radio signals. By splitting the antenna circuit, the effective series of the RFID transponder will be abridged to a great extent.
4. Many RFID tags these days come with a ‘built in 'kill' function’. When an accurate pass-code is fed into it, the tag can be reprogrammed or commanded to 'self destruct', making it futile.

Thus, there are multiple ways to disable RFID tags. However, the issue of invasion into privacy still remains only partially resolved.