Safety questions aside, government, business confidence in RFID remains strong
A Dutch university report shows that computer viruses may be carried by RFID tags and cause disruptions across some software systems; however, business and government RFID use remains strong
New research has pointed to security vulnerabilities in RFID wireless tracking technology, but government and business representatives remain confident in its use. Last week, a study from Amsterdam’s Vrije University warned that computer viruses could move from RFID tags to exploit some software systems. The research was presented at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers conference in Pisa, Italy. RFID software code writers must build appropriate checks “to prevent RFID middleware from suffering all of the well-known vulnerabilities experienced by the Internet,” according to the report. The paper claims to present the first self-replicating RFID virus.
Governments and businesses around the world have been adapting applications of RFID for various tasks, such as tracking groceries or cargo and verifying people’s identities. A State Department official said the United States plans to begin deploying new passports with RFID technology on a widespread basis this summer. The number of passports being issued over the past few years has increased from 7.3 million in fiscal 2003 to more than 13 million expected to be issued in 2006.
