Payment Card Industry kept Mythbusters from busting RFID on : Othor Games

» Sun May 13, 2012 8:48 pm

http://www.disinfo.com/2012/02/mythbusters-banned-from-discussing-rfid-by-visa-and-mastercard/

Host Adam Savage of Mythbusters tells how Visa, Mastercard, and Discover had the Discovery Channel put the kibosh on an episode that would have revealed just how “trackable and hackable” the RFID chips found in many credit cards are. It’s a telling example of how corporate advertisers serve as the gatekeepers of mainstream media/entertainment:

The video is a little over a month old now, but it just hit my RSS feed, so I thought I'd share it.

I personally have refused RFID on my credit/debit cards because I know how easy it is to hack. http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/08/fed-rfid/. http://www.darkreading.com/vulnerability-management/167901026/security/vulnerabilities/226500226/index.html (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJQ24dw3vaQ). There is NO security used in RFID implementations in credit cards with everything sent in plaintext.

Just an FYI: a nail through the RFID chip in your credit card will disable it quite nicely and [usually] not damage the magnetic strip or use of the card in any other way.

» Sun May 13, 2012 7:15 pm

I was wondering why chase sent me a card with blink. I just leave it at home.

» Sun May 13, 2012 10:18 am

A month old? I thought this news was a year old already? At least to fans of Mythbusters... :tongue:

» Sun May 13, 2012 10:19 am

A month old? I thought this news was a year old already? At least to fans of Mythbusters... :tongue:

Not a huge fan of Mythbusters, only passively watch it. Of course this exploit is about 4-5 years old in the security industry

» Sun May 13, 2012 7:47 am

I think every thread you make is made with the intention of making us hide in our paranoia bubbles DEFRON :cryvaultboy:

» Sun May 13, 2012 1:15 pm

Not a huge fan of Mythbusters, only passively watch it. Of course this exploit is about 4-5 years old in the security industry

Older that in the tinfoil hat industry... Thats why I only carry $1 bills printed before 1999

» Sun May 13, 2012 6:15 am

I think every thread you make is made with the intention of making us hide in our paranoia bubbles DEFRON :cryvaultboy:

What are you insinuating? That I have stock in paranoia bubbles so I get money for each one sold... nope, that's definitely not the case... why are you looking at me like that? :whistling:

» Sun May 13, 2012 2:29 pm

If you have concerns, then get an RFID blocking wallet. I think you can make one with Tin Foil, but this is more elegant:

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&keywords=rfid%20blocking%20wallet&rh=n%3A1036592%2Ck%3Arfid%20blocking%20wallet&page=1

If nothing else, it will stop your cell phone from erasing your credit cards if they are in the same pocket (which happens to me)

» Sun May 13, 2012 8:37 pm

If you have concerns, then get an RFID blocking wallet. I think you can make one with Tin Foil, but this is more elegant:

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&keywords=rfid%20blocking%20wallet&rh=n%3A1036592%2Ck%3Arfid%20blocking%20wallet&page=1

If nothing else, it will stop your cell phone from erasing your credit cards if they are in the same pocket (which happens to me)

Doesn't sound like a good idea to have that anywhere near testicles..

» Sun May 13, 2012 6:27 am

What are you insinuating? That I have stock in paranoia bubbles so I get money for each one sold... nope, that's definitely not the case... why are you looking at me like that? :whistling:

I'M ON TO YOU! BUT I HAVE MY TINFOIL HAT ON! CAN'T READ MY THOUGHTS NOW CAN YA ALIEN LORD XENU! *Hides with paranoia hat and taps furiously on his keyboard on the conspiracy site*

@CCNA- Do those really work though?

» Sun May 13, 2012 8:05 pm

how can i tell if my card has rfid?

» Sun May 13, 2012 12:25 pm

how can i tell if my card has rfid?

http://www.ehow.com/how_7604271_there-rfid-credit-card.html

I wasn't aware there were ones without the paypass logo, but apparently there are. Every one I've seen has it and a little "bubble" where the RFID chip is. Of course I've always just requested my cards not include it :shrug:

» Sun May 13, 2012 11:31 am

how can i tell if my card has rfid?

It should have an oval bump that looks like a trace on motherboard.... Also some wave symbol or whatever marketing name is used.

» Sun May 13, 2012 6:08 pm

nah, mine has nothing like that. good to know though, idk why any one would want that though. not even by a security perspective, its really not the more convenant to wave your card than it is to swipe, unless you have not yet developed proper motor skills

» Sun May 13, 2012 6:01 am

Don't get credit or debit cards with smart chips

.

» Sun May 13, 2012 8:27 am

Question: I don't own one of those cards, but if I were to sign up with a card with 'Defron Credit Cards' or something, could I say specifically, 'and I'd like the card to not be RFID chipped please', and they be obligated not to put a chip on, or could they still do it and it be legally allowed?

» Sun May 13, 2012 8:06 am

Question: I don't own one of those cards, but if I were to sign up with a card with 'Defron Credit Cards' or something, could I say specifically, 'and I'd like the card to not be RFID chipped please', and they be obligated not to put a chip on, or could they still do it and it be legally allowed?

When I've gotten my cards I've always requested it not be included, and they've never put one in. Granted, I don't have a huge pool of cards, so I only have a very limited experience (all through my credit union to boot)

» Sun May 13, 2012 3:37 pm

Question: I don't own one of those cards, but if I were to sign up with a card with 'Defron Credit Cards' or something, could I say specifically, 'and I'd like the card to not be RFID chipped please', and they be obligated not to put a chip on, or could they still do it and it be legally allowed?

I don't see much reason for it to be a legal requirement, but it's basic customer service to do it since they're obviously still producing unchipped cards). If it were a security feature rather than a security hole I could see it being a standard feature in all cards (try finding a swipe card that doesn't require either a PIN or a signature), but as it stands I don't see any reason not to provide an alternative on request.

» Sun May 13, 2012 7:44 am

Not a huge fan of Mythbusters, only passively watch it. Of course this exploit is about 4-5 years old in the security industry :tongue:

Yup there was a video both on discovery and on youtube that talked about myths they wanted to bust. One was the RFID saying how easy it was to hack from the stuff in credit cards to the chip implants people put under the skin. There was TONS of backlash from companies that produced the chips and such threatening legal action if they did it. Mythbusters ultimately gave up on it since it would have created too much of a PITA for them.

Course I wonder what is more hackable, RFIDs or WEP security enabled routers?