Technology Identification Microchip
While there are many philosophical, social, technological differences between what actually goes on in the world and those of our beliefs, there are many individuals today who believe that humanity is in danger by the advancement of technology. In contrast, we identify that computers and technology are essential to maintaining and supporting our livelihood as we know it. In another words, we are attached to technology. We are in need of the technology, whereas the world is overpowered by such technological developments. These individuals must be aware of the effects on such people and society. However, informational technology such as RFIDs has also raise a large number of negative issues ranging from tag collisions, to even health concerns within the community.
In order to understand the ethics of RFIDs, we must understand the concepts of RFIDs. RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification. This technology uses radio waves to automatically identify people or objects. One method of such identification is to store a serial number that identifies an individual on a microchip that is attached to an antenna. The antenna allows the chip to transmit the ID information to a reader. The reader will convert the radio waves into digital information that can then be passed on to computers.
Currently, there are two types of RFIDs, they are passive and active. When these tags pass through a field of scanning antennas, it detects the activation signal from the antenna. This will “wake up” the RFID chip. Soon, it transmits the data on to its microchip which to be singled out by the scanning antenna. Each varying RFID tags have their own unique qualities. Active RFID tags have their own power supply. The reader of these tags can be much farther away and still detect the signal. Although such RFIDs may be more advanced, they are known to have limited lifespan. Furthermore, passive RFID tags don't require any batteries, and may be slightly smaller with quality life span.
Although these RFID tags provide quality service, problems always occurred. There may be problems regarding the RFID standards. For example, Exxon Mobile's Speed Pass is a well known RFID system, let's say, if another company wants to use Speed Pass, they would have to pay to access it. Another issue is that RFID systems can be easily disrupted. These systems use the electromagnetic spectrum, which means they are very easy to jam using energy at the right frequency. This may bring disastrous events in other environments where RFID are widely used. Several collisions may occur within the RFID systems. Reader and tag collisions are quite common. When two or more tags are read, a collision occurs. The tag is unable to respond to continuing commands. One known solution to avoid collision is to install ant-collision protocols. This will enable the tags to take turns responding to a reader. With such collisions, and disrupt systems on hand, it is a question whether or not to use such systems in our society. We will discuss such phenomena later on.
Is RFID technology really secure and private? To be honest, the answer is no. Typically, any person with an appropriately operational scanner and secure contact to the RFID apparatus can trigger it and interpret its contents. Today, companies are worried with the growing use of RFID devices in company badges. This means, an appropriate radio frequency field will cause the chip to lay out the private information to some individual. This data will now be store and replayed to corporate scanners, which allows the bad guy to access the information. While that information is access, your badge is the one that is recognized with the access.
Groups around have the word have been in concern with the ethics of RFIDs. Some of these concern includes privacy whereas the use of RFID devices to track the movements of individuals. For example, RFID devices have been installed in passports to speed up border crossing, however, where these devices track the location of the person over time. With this system in tack, issues are raised on linking such information on tags and databases that store privacy information.
In “IBM's new RFID "Clipped Tag”, written by Ben Kage, he states how RFID tags “aims to assuage consumer privacy fears.” These electronic that store data and transmit it to sensors have caused controversy since it was first theorized that they could be used to carry important information, but IBM claims they have the answer to such privacy concerns.
IBM introduced a “Clipped Tag”, an RFID with an antenna that can be ripped off as simply as a piece of paper.
An RFID can be very valuable for retailers because clerks do not have to directly scan the tag against the barcode, and these superficial readers can scan up to one thousand tags at one time. With such idea, customers can now purchase a large cart of items and be scanned all at once.
Moreover, these RFIDs can be scanned from thirty feet away, so one containing customer information that can speed up a transaction can also present a security risk from someone with their own scanner. Now, these RFIDs can be used to track stolen items, and prevent robbery. However, these tags can be destroyed at the time of purchase, which make any returns difficult. The clipped chip's removable antenna leaves the choice over whether to disable an RFID up to the customer.
Another concern is the security of the RFID device. After the distribution of electronic RFID passports, computer research consultants are able to clone the passports easily. Security consultant Lukas Grunwald noted, “The whole passport design is totally brain damaged, these passports are huge waste of money. They are not increasing security at all.” He also stated, “Because encrypting the data on the e-passport's RFID chip would involve building a complicated infrastructure, countries have opted not to do so, but "if you can read the data, you can clone the data and put it in a new tag," After Grunwald's clone, it has created controversy and countries have opted out to use the system. Such clone will stir up the potentials to invade privacy.
While analyzing the principles of the passports, Grunwald was able to clone the chips in about two weeks. Grunwald said that his cloning technique would work despite of the country of origin, although he admits that that cryptographic hashes used to validate data mean people cannot unobtrusively adjust things like birthday or names from the chips.
Moreover, through the cloning method, a recognized terrorist can carry such passport with his name and photo, equipped with a cloned RFID chip that identifies someone else. This means that while anyone screening the chipped passports would be able to identify the individual from the passport, but the system would authenticate with the wrong name.
Artificial classification is not the only risk from cloning passports with chips. Any individual can introduce malicious ciphers to border-screening computers through the RFID tag or write fraudulent data to it, which could hurtle an electronic inspection system not pre-protected from such an attack.
It is important to make such RFID system more secure. These passports should not be able to be cloned at all. With the topic on privacy, the use of RFID leads to various concerns of individual's identity.
Today, people take privacy very seriously. Whether it is a phone number, social security number, address, or age, having to give someone else your information is invaluable. Even with the enhanced technology, the use of internet can changed the way information is stored.
It is unethical to ticket websites who gain access and sell private information from their clients as acting with grouch. There is high demand for retailers to obtain data from people because retailers will be able to gather the individual needs of each person who stops by their website. It would naturally stay behind which consumers will shop at websites that carry out their individual needs more than websites that seems less important or unrelated to them.
One historic related case involves Toysmart. Toysmart was a well-known Disney-owned company that has been advertising goods since January 1999. In May 2000, Toysmart announced it's going out of business and sought the help of a consulting firm, The Recovery Group. Toysmart had begun selling its assets to the company. While selling the assets, news erupted over the internet stating the company's goal to sell personal information such as address, phone numbers, and etc. This case questions the issues of privacy and deception and trust. Toysmart has failed to promote its logo, “Your information is safe with us!”
Before the long privacy controversy, Toysmart had promoted their effort to secure the customer's information. Moreover, Toysmart had created a portion of their website and showed how important private information was to them. Toysmart even pledged not to sell customer information to any third world parties. Many customers had the trust in this company for which they became “Mytoysmart” members on the website.
After several years, Toysmart was faced with debt because of overestimation of profits. This became a difficult scenario for Toysmart. As an online business, Toysmart did not have the same sort of material property that are most commonly associated with bankrupt businesses. Toysmart only had warehouses which can be sold to the highest bidding individual. Furthermore, all Toysmart had were the private information of their customers. That was all they had. They could either choose to stand by their words and not sell their customer's information or sell the information to lessen their debt. Those were their only options.
Quality of Life:
The decision to sell information to third parties was, in fact, a quality of life consideration. Toysmart did not set out to harm anyone; however, to help stay out of bankruptcy.
Safety:
There is definitely someone who is responsible for such actions. These responsibilities were owed to the individual or group whom thought it was okay to sell out the information forgetting that they company is in jeopardy.
Privacy:
This case provides a precious tool for privacy issues in computing not only because it sets a standard for other reluctant online companies that they must maintain the rights of their clients even if they are forced to file for impoverishment.
Basically, what we see is high-advanced technology. Technology which we think is secure and private; whereas, these technologies make our lives better. However, the technology that we endure can have glitches. These glitches have caused many concerns to what actually happened and those of our beliefs.
Bibliography
Kage, Ben. “IBM's new RFID "Clipped Tag.”” Natural News.
10 November 2006. 24 April 2008. <http://www.naturalnews.com/021040.html
Louis, Travis. “Security Breakdown: E-Passport Chip Easily Hacked, Cloned.”
4 August 2006. 24 April 2008 <http://www.naturalnews.com/019883.html
Huff, Chuck. Case Study. Toysmart.
Toysmart Case
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