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May 17, 2006
How to spot an RFID passport
Now that the U.S. has begun issuing RFID-tagged passports, how can you tell if your new passport has an unwanted spy on board? Edward Hasbrouck, the Practical Nomad (author of numerous guidebook and a tireless defender of travel privacy), has come to the rescue. He has posted a helpful page on his blog showing how to spot whether your new passport contains a spychip. If you see this symbol, you've been tagged.
If you are interested in the RFID-passport issue, I highly recommend reading Edward's insightful comments. He covers the background, security risks, mitigation measures, and more. He also asks you to let him know if you are issued one of these passports:
"In the meantime, if you do find this "mark" on your passport, please let me know about it. It would help others to know when and by which Passport Offices these start being issued. And I know several technical experts who would be very interested in testing RFID passports "in the wild", to see if the attacks demonstrated against Dutch passports with RFID chips will also work against similar USA passports, and what other vulnerabilities they may have."
He also notes that being in New Hampshire, I am right near the belly of the passport-marking beast:
"Coincidentally, both the National Passport Center in Portsmouth -- probably the site of the USA's first production line for standard RFID passports -- and one of the most active chapters of CASPIAN -- the leading opponents of non-consensual RFID use in the USA -- are located just a few miles apart in southeastern New Hampshire."
Nothing like being right in the thick of things.
Posted by Katherine Albrecht at May 17, 2006 6:31 AM
Comments
Some of you Hi-Tech geeks need to figure a way we can test for RFID's to find where they are placed, and how to destroy them!! If I find one, I will try the old hammer routine, until I find a better way...a lead box perhaps? How can we spot them or detect them...and kill them?? Thank you, Eddie
Posted by: EddieW at May 23, 2006 3:42 PM
Will there be a penalty if the RFID is disabled
or tampered with on United States passports?
Posted by: Tin Foil Hat Syndrome at May 28, 2006 1:47 PM
Hey Tin Foil Hat Syndrome,
can you disable the tag on your passport? According to Eduard Hasbrouk (the guy Katherine talks about), and I think he quoteh the Gov - -
"You can't disable the RFID chip without voiding your passport: "Any passport which has been materially changed in physical appearance or composition, or contains a damaged, defective or otherwise nonfunctioning electronic chip, or which includes unauthorized changes, obliterations, entries or photographs, ... may be invalidated.""
HTH
Posted by: at June 24, 2006 9:50 PM
This is sick, I dont know what to think.
But Revelations come to mind.
How can this happen if its not the mark,just wait until they force eveyone to take it or they cant buy or sell.Then what?
I pray for his coming and when he comes back, he will wipe away every tear.
Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.......
Posted by: charles at August 25, 2006 11:12 AM
Screw the religious crap, this is an assault on our rights as "free" Americans. If you see this as the Mark of the Beast, you are no better than the Taliban and only contribute to the problem.
Posted by: azcoyote at September 1, 2006 5:47 AM
Whew, just renewed my passport during the last week of August and passport arrived with no mark or seal indicating an rfid chip inside. Still all the same I still have it wrapped in tin foil just in case. Probably gonna pick up one of them wallets with the faraday cage just for good measure.
Where are people coming up with all of these religious references; plain and simple this is a violation of our rights as "free" Americans. Barcode would have been the better way to go, but as they say "lobbyists control this country".
Posted by: petropusher at September 14, 2006 10:57 AM
The post now has an article on this
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/15/AR2006091500923.html
However, I was under the impression that starting a few months ago, the chip was in all new passports...
I wonder if the article in the Post is a plant to get all to renew their passports earlier than planned and get the chip.
Posted by: MaChere at September 17, 2006 8:14 PM
Will there be a penalty if the RFID is disabled
or tampered with on United States passports?
Posted by: Mirror at October 30, 2006 5:14 PM
I haven't seen any American passports with this symbol on them. Are we sure the US is using this symbol?
Posted by: fantim at January 8, 2007 6:53 AM
The US certainly does use this symbol. Check it out here:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/eppt/eppt_2788.html#Eight
I have seen a few posts on the net from people who did receive an electronic passport as it is called. I personally applied at the end of December and didn't receive an e-passport.
Posted by: noname at March 30, 2007 10:17 AM
I got this passport . In the EU all seem to have chips . my question is why the symble ?
Posted by: me at March 31, 2007 5:18 PM
I just recently received my new passport with a spychip in it. I am wondering is there anything that I can do to disable it or to stop it from working when I do not want it to.
I have the book "Spychips" and it really opened my eyes. With the state of this country with the current administration taking away our rights the rfid chips are just a way to keep us in line.
I look forward to hearing from you again and I will do all I can to inform everyone I know about the spychips.
Posted by: Ronnie Hunter at June 30, 2007 2:09 AM