January 3rd, 2006
Build Your Own RFID Deflecting Wallet
By Alice Hill
RealTechNews
This summer we began looking at RFID chips and their potential for abuse. There were US RFID-based passports that many feared would broadcast the fact that Americans were sitting in a foreign cafe and put them in danger of a terrorist attack. RFID money that explodes when you microwave it. That somehow to foil covered shopping bag liners (aka “booster bags”) used to literally foil shoplifting scanners, and of course a look at the entire and deeply disturbing foil head phenomenon. We know our foil!
But wait folks, that’s not all. Today, I found a guy who made a RFID blocking wallet out of duct tape. We say: If you want a step by step look at how to make your own, click here, but don’t expect to impress the ladies when you flip open this gem in public. (Especially if you have on a foil deflector beanie.)
John Corliss says:
Although blocking RFID tags like this is a good idea, duct tape glue has the unpleasant quality of migrating off of the tape over time when constantly subjected to lateral pressure (such as occurs when continually being sat upon.) Eventually, the wallet would become a sticky, clothes ruining mess.
Of course, one could always simply wrap their cards in foil and put them in the wallet.
As for me, I don’t use credit cards at all. Never have, never will.
January 4th, 2006 at 3:36 am
Icedqube says:
Is there any real data that shows duct tape or foil works to block RFID? This all sounds like anecdotal stories without real evidence. Also everyone refers to “tin foil”, do they really mean aluminum foil? Can you readily buy tin foil? What is needed is scientific testing by people with RFID readers and eithe prove or debunk these stories.
If they are going to use RFID in things like passports and credit cards, then it should have a momentary switch that needs to be pressed in order for the circuit to work. That way it is normally off and unreadable by snoops.
January 4th, 2006 at 7:17 am
Alice says:
“Tin foil” and “aluminum foil” are used interchangeably, probably an old hold-over like saying “icebox” instead of refrigerator.
From the reasearch I have done, the RFID readers can pick up signals and simple foil will deflect them. The main difference between the devices attached to clothes to prevent shoplifting and RFID chips is that RFID actaully transmits a signal a certain distance, while the older method required you to pass through a scanner to detect the anti-shoplifting device. They are already selling foil based passport holders, but I agree - an “off” switch would be much simpler though I doubt most people would use them.
January 4th, 2006 at 12:30 pm
ParanoidNot says:
With un-encrypted RFID the US government is now issuing in Passports we all need to protect ourselves from privacy invasion. Most places on the web say to wrap your wallet in “tin foil”. I am sick of hearing that RFID signals are blocked by Aluminum foil. They are not stop believing it. My father in law is a radio engineer and he has to block radio signals all of the time. The best material is Pure Copper which complies with the US government Tempest regulations.
For more information on RFID (spy chips) go to
Http://WWW.SpyChips.com
for a RFID Blocking wallet
HTTP://WWW.DSBSecurity.com
January 5th, 2006 at 9:45 am
» How to Disable Your Passport’s RFID Chip (and not go to jail) » Blog Archive Alice Hill’s Real Tech News - Independent Tech says:
[…] Short of building your own RFID-blocking wallet, the gang at Wired discovered that simply hitting the chip with a hammer (located inside the back cover) will render it useless. So much for high tech. And to be clear, a disabled chip does not invalidate the passport. Just don’t brag about the hammer in the customs line or you’re looking at 25 years of hard time. […]
August 6th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
Moschops says:
Look up Faraday Cage. The aim is to create a highly conductive box around the RFID. By this manner, any external EM fields will be neutralised by the appropriate motion of the electrons in the conductive box. The more freely the electrons can move (i.e. the better an electrical conductor it is), the better it will work. High frequencies EM fields will change faster than the electrons rearrange and will not be fully stopped except by a better conductor. It’s very fundamental physics.
August 12th, 2007 at 2:55 am