RFID tags and privacy

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Sun, 20 Jul 2003 17:55:51 -0400
> From: "Ronald L. Rivest" <rivest () mit edu>
> Subject: RFID tags and privacy
> X-Sender: sendmail@theory () non existent com
> To: David Farber <dave () farber net>
>
>
> Dave --
>
> You recently posted a long note from Brad Templeton that
> (correctly) points out that improving RFID tags to
> protect privacy may be too costly to be workable within
> the limited per-tag cost budget for these devices (e.g.
> ten cents).
>
> There is another way to approach this problem, however:
> leave the RFID tag alone, but provide "blocker" RFID tags
> to consumers that can selectively block readers from reading
> any chip on the consumer's person.  Such blocker chips can
> be built cheaply---they only need to interfere with the
> "singulation" protocol that readers use to address each
> RFID chip individually in turn.  By giving consumers the
> ability to block unwanted readers from reading their RFID
> tags, as well as allowing consumers to "kill" their RFID tags,
> one may be able to provide consumers with sufficient
> control over how their RFID tags are used to allow implementation
> of acceptable privacy policies.
>
> The "blocker tags" can also be used in more refined modes,
> so that only some tags are blocked.  For example, you could
> choose to block reading of tags on "personal" items you carry,
> but allow reading of RFID tags on your business cards.  (This
> would be your choice; such a policy might not be for everyone.)
>
> Some details and further discussion can be found in a recent
> paper by myself, Ari Juels, and Michael Szydlo:
>
> http://theory.lcs.mit.edu/~rivest/JuelsRivestSzydlo-TheBlockerTag.pdf
>
>         Cheers,
>         Ron
>
>
> Ronald L. Rivest
> Room 324, 200 Technology Square, Cambridge MA 02139
> Tel 617-253-5880, Fax 617-258-9738, Email <rivest () mit edu>

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