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From: Citizens Against Government Waste
Starting in 2007, the State Department began to issue Passports with radio frequency identification (RFID) computer chips. The thought was to counter fraudulent manufacturing of passports and expedite the process of reading individual passports. Well, this hasn’t gone as smoothly as people expected. In fact, according to The Tech Herald, the new “epassports” are pretty easy to hack:
The electronic passports (ePassports) that have been issued to U.S. citizens since 2007 are said to be fraud proof, thanks to various security measures, including an RFID chip that stores information. The Hackers Choice (THC) however, claims that the security on these chips is weak, and easily fooled.
THC has released a tool called ePassport emulator, which allows one to “create a backup of your own passport chip.” You can also use the tool for modification. For example, if you don’t like your picture, you can change it. Or, if you don’t want someone to know your real name, then change that too — all with this simple-to-use tool and its easy-to-follow instructions.
CAGW is not surprised at all. In February 2006, we named Deputy Assistant Secretary for Passport Services Frank Moss Porker of the Month for his support and weak propaganda attempt at defending the new passports:
In addition to the four fold increase in cost, the new passports and the chip technology pose a serious threat to privacy and security. There remains the possibility that personal information could be “skimmed” or stolen from a distance using a chip reader. The State Department claims that the chips can only be read from approximately four inches away. But demonstrations have shown that stronger readers can scan chips from a greater distance. The chips could also act as beacons that broadcast trevelers’ nationality to terrorists.
Frank Moss maintains that security features will protect the passports and that further talk of unauthorized reading is “poppycock.” The Dutch television program Nieuwslicht teamed up with a security firm Riscure to successfully crack and decrypt a Dutch-prototype RFID passport developed under international standards. Furthermore, what is not “poppycock” is the federal government’s abysmal record with technological initiatives of this magnitude.
As we prepare to welcome a new President and an ever changing Congressional landscape, we must be more vigilant as to how governments at all levels protect our pocketbook and our privacy.
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