Biometric Passport / RFIDs / protection

[trendie]

Hi, got a new passport, etc, stern, non-smiling photo, pretty watermarks, clever biometric stuff, etc.

Went to look for a passport holder off ebay, and came across passport wallets that protect the passport from having the RFID chip being accessed remotely!!

WTF!
Is this just scare-mongering?
Can your passport RFID really be copied remotely?
(I mean, what's to stop someone just sitting in the cafe at an airport and steal hundreds of passport RFIDs as people walk by, whilst sitting sipping a latte?!)

Are the RFID protector wallets worth buying, or over-rated?

ta, muchly.

 

[Purple Brain]

It's not just the technical implementation which is flawed but the entire basis of its implementation. It is wide open. I presume you've got a UK passport which is not currently fully ICAO9303 compliant which does you a favour. Within the next 5 years UK passports will be. It'll take a lot longer than that to get a sensible technological implementation rolled out so under no circumstances voluntarily renew your passport ahead of its default expiration.







edit: I'm surprised they didn't ask you to remove your helmet for the photo. Going far?

 

[new_trader]

Hi, got a new passport, etc, stern, non-smiling photo, pretty watermarks, clever biometric stuff, etc.

Went to look for a passport holder off ebay, and came across passport wallets that protect the passport from having the RFID chip being accessed remotely!!

WTF!
Is this just scare-mongering?
Can your passport RFID really be copied remotely?
(I mean, what's to stop someone just sitting in the cafe at an airport and steal hundreds of passport RFIDs as people walk by, whilst sitting sipping a latte?!)

Are the RFID protector wallets worth buying, or over-rated?

ta, muchly.

If you are buying a new passport holder then you may as well buy one that is RFID secure. But there is nothing special about them, they work on the faraday cage effect, so wrapping your passport in aluminium foil is a cheap alternative.