OT: RF ID and privacy

From: J. Forster (jfor@quik.com)
Date: Wed Nov 23 2005 - 19:13:04 PST


A month or two ago, there was considerable discussion on the issue of RF IDs and
privacy in drivers licenses and other forms of ID. Here's a current article
(thanks JP) on how a privacy advocate responded to that threat.

For those who don't recognize Richard Stallman, he wrote a book called 'The
Cuckoo's Egg" an discovered a hacker's penetration of his computer system. He
was also interviewed about the attacks on "60 Minutes"

-John

*****************

November 22, 2005

Foil Meant To Block RFID Attracts U.N. Security

By K.C. Jones Courtesy of TechWeb News

A GNU expert's talk was welcomed at the U.N. World
Summit on the Information Society. His stance on RFID
was not.
Richard Stallman, GNU founder and featured speaker at
the gathering in Tunisia last week, was held by U.N.
security after wrapping his identification badge in
foil, according to Bruce Perens, vice president of
developer relations and policy for SourceLabs.

Stallman, who opposes RFID because of the technology's
potential for privacy invasions, objected to wearing
the badge because it could track him as he moved
around at the summit. Organizers said the technology
would not be used since objections were raised over
use at the 2003 summit in Geneva, according to Perens.

Stallman was still in Tunisia Tuesday and could not be
reached for comment.

Stallman, founder of the Free Software Foundation,
reportedly unwrapped his badge only to pass through
readers.

He briefly addressed the RFID issue during a speaker's
panel, passed a roll of aluminum foil around the room
and encouraged several people to follow suit,
according to Perens' eyewitness account. U.N. security
watched in the crowded room until speeches and an open
discussion were finished.

Perens said he left to speak with reporters and heard
later from several attendees that security would not
allow Stallman to leave. Once they allowed Stallman to
exit, they prevented him from entering another room,
where he was scheduled to appear, according to Perens.

"I got to the room just as the panel was about to
start, at the moment that the problem suddenly
evaporated and Richard was allowed to enter," Perens
wrote on his company's Web site. "No doubt some of our
UN hosts had been dealing with security during those
two hours, and eventually got an order from a
high-enough officer or something. We'll probably never
know how, but imagine the headlines: Kofi Annan Frees
Richard Stallman."

Perens said Stallman recounted the incident as people
gathered for the next panel.

Representatives from the summit could not be reached
for comment and did not immediately respond to an
e-mail inquiry.

During an interview Tuesday, Perens said he understood
the need for intense security at a world summit taking
place a mere train ride from Libya. He said he
believes Stallman also understood it, but a bar code
system could have been used.

Perens said he shares some of Stallman's concerns
about RFID.
"There really is something to this RFID issue," he
said. "People aren't really thinking about just what
is happening when you put one on and that there could
be a record of who was in what room with whom."

Perens said he was at a company conference where the
technology was used at entrance rooms for seminars to
determine whether employees actually attended or spent
the time loafing.

"I think that's probably more of an intrusion than an
employee should have to put up with even though it's
the employer's time," he said.

Perens said he also sees potential for government
abuse of the technology.

"Much as the president is there to protect the people
of the United States, I can't say that I approve of
his politics" he said. "Thus, when tools like this are
in people like his hands, I'm concerned."

Perens explained that Stallman doesn't want to be
subtle about sticking with his beliefs.

"He won't have a cellphone because he doesn't have one
yet that runs on free software," he said. "Richard is
willing to put up with a good deal of inconvenience to
stay true to his own beliefs."

Stallman is opposed to U.S. plans for RFID in
passports next year. Perens said that he has heard
they may come in foil jackets to prevent abuse and
theft.

Though foil could be crafted as an antenna to amplify
radio signals, Perens believes that completely
wrapping an object in foil does block them.

"Of course, the devil's in the details," he said.



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