Why RFID Should Never be Taken to Mean Private or Secure

I came across two interesting videos this week showing just how insecure RFID can be. I’ve linked them below. You should note that the first uses a system called Oyster that is used in many cases (including entry cards (as the video shows). The second shows an American Express card. Caveat emptor.

Note: the second video is done with a $0.99 reader off eBay (plus $7.99 in shipping). In general these cost around $50 but the prices are dropping and $50 is not much of a barrier. Tracking based on these things we carry (in this case an id or credit card) has the potential to be cheap and ubiquitous.

Oyster cards hacked and cloned by college kids

American Express cards are easily readable