Brooders.net

Found this over at Warren Ellis (of Transmetropolitan fame)

I guess this could be useful?

From the original new scientist post on edible RFID it seems some uses include:

• Looking at digestive issues
• When embedded in a Pill/tablet, make sure patients have swallowed them (think pyschiatric wards)
• similar radio tags could also be embedded in an artificial knee or hip joint in such a way that they disintegrate as the joint does, warning of the need for more surgery (direct quote from article)

Reminds me of the Intestinator from the movie “Fortress” with Christopher Lambert, which were implanted into the inmates to track and punish them as required.

On a more pragmattic note, maybe it could be used as a temporary security pass in a building or hotel? Just swallow this pill it’ll give you access to the pool or bar?

( Via Warren Ellis )

Interesting, Pragmatic and real world look at the Texas Instruments RFID chip and its security. Available at RFIDAnalysis.org.

These chips are used for:

• Vehicle Immobilizers
• Electronic Payment

The site talks about practical concerns relating to actual exploits (it’s worth reading), as well as providing videos of the exploits and the equipments used to do it. The research paper draft is from January 2005, I am not sure of the actual dates of the research.

A quick excerpt about the type of attack:

The encryption algorithm used in the TI DST tags is an unpublished, proprietary cipher that uses a 40-bit key. The algorithm was designed in the early 1990’s by engineers at Texas Intruments, but is still being deploying in current systems. By today’s standards, a 40-bit key is unacceptably short: advances in computing power have made such keys succeptable to brute-force key guessing attacks. Therefore, the actual security of the DST system rests with the secrecy of the proprietary algorithm used in the tags.

This raises some concerns that if there is mass acceptance of a product, and the strength of security is not great, then there is potentially a lot of systems that may be vulnerable. Mind you this is probably similar to household keys ? I guess there are not millions of different keys for houses or desk drawers or filing cabinets.

I think the important point they make about the electronic payment is that the cryptographic security is one layer, they mention other systems in place to try and detect fraud.

“Company requires RFID injection“. Sounds like science fiction, and to my knowledge and searching, it seems true. Previously, I found articles relating to a guy who chipped himself in the name of science and access to his computer. Citywatcher.com now want some of their employees chipped to gain access to secure rooms and computers.

Most people nowadays carry an ID badge with some proximity access control. Chipping, however, takes identification and authorisation to the next level. RFIDetail has more details about this Company RFID injection.

Regardless of the security merits (or lack thereof, depending on where you look), it presents an interesting and invasive approach to identification. There is also mention that the id can be skimmed and cloned, raising concern over whether or not it provides much more security than a proximity security card. Although, obviously, you won’t lose or forget to bring your hand, when you have an implant.

Not only companies are using this for security and identification, some bars are using this for drink purchases. Other articles such as “Paying for drinks with wave of the hand” and “Implanted ID chip finds way into ERs, bars“. This seems amazing that people would submit themselves to this, but maybe it’s not that different to getting bodily parts pierced.

While Digging I came across Chipped : Human Imbedded RFID. Some techie guy is “modding” his own body. The article goes into detail with videos and part numbers and pricing. Interesting that this guy injected a chip into his hand but states that the idea (technically feasible) was more important than the use.

Somewhat related, but extrapolated through fiction, I found Douglas Rushkoff’s Testament, which contains anti RFID (person tracking) sentiment within the the story.