US-based RSA Laboratories, the research arm of RSA Security, has developed a special RFID tag designed to prevent readers from performing unwanted scanning and tracking of people or goods, without any disruption to normal RFID operation.
According to the company, because information stored on RFID tags can be read by anyone, they may pose privacy threats to customers when deployed in retail environments, and have already triggered a wave of consumer outcry.
“In a naive, RFID-enabled world without technical forethought, there is risk that sensitive information could be visible in secret to anyone with an RFID reader,” said Burt Kaliski, director and chief scientist with RSA Laboratories in the US.
“Moreover, the unique serial numbers emitted by RFID tags could be used to track people and objects surreptitiously. For businesses too, RFID introduces new privacy and security risks – and a whole new dimension to corporate espionage. These concerns have motivated our scientists to work on a new generation of technical solutions that match these challenges.”
The RSA Blocker Tag is only a research concept at present. It is RSA Security’s opinion that RFID tags are unlikely to become widespread in individual retail items for at least several years.
RSA Australia 02 9463 8400 or visit www.rsasecurity.com/go/rfid/.