RFID chips

[Sjouke Burry]

Does anybody know of a way to de-active(blowup) RFID chips?
Can their receiver coils be overloaded?
Those things get added to all sorts of non-obvious things,
and start to interfere with our privacy .

 

[Jasen Betts]

Does anybody know of a way to de-active(blowup) RFID chips?
Can their receiver coils be overloaded?
Those things get added to all sorts of non-obvious things,
and start to interfere with our privacy .

try a high power RF source like a microwave oven, or an EMP.

high(ish) temperatures may work too, I've seen some tags
fail at as little as 100C,but these were ISO15693 tags (VHF)
but I expect you are more interested in ISO18000 tags (UHF)
which use dipoles instead of coils, but should still be
succeptable to sufficient power.

 

[Eeyore]

Does anybody know of a way to de-active(blowup) RFID chips?
Can their receiver coils be overloaded?
Those things get added to all sorts of non-obvious things,
and start to interfere with our privacy .

Until I saw who it was from I wondered if you were planning on theiving
goods from stores ! ;~)

Graham

 

[Eeyore]

try a high power RF source like a microwave oven, or an EMP.

high(ish) temperatures may work too, I've seen some tags
fail at as little as 100C,but these were ISO15693 tags (VHF)
but I expect you are more interested in ISO18000 tags (UHF)
which use dipoles instead of coils, but should still be
succeptable to sufficient power.

I've never really looked at one but might a huge ESD blast do the job too ?

Physically hitting with a hammer might be effective as well.

Graham

 

[William Sommerwerck]

I`ve been told that a blast from an electronic photographic flashgun

in close proximity works. Haven't tried it though. The ones originally
hidden in our wheelie bins seem to be missing.

Not likely. If the EMP were strong enough to destroy electronics, it would
probably burn the skin.

I detect a note of -- arguably justifiable -- paranoia in the original post.

Instead of worrying about RFIDs in general, one should pay attention to
where they are actually used, and tale appropriate steps to protect oneself.
For example, RFIDs in debit cards can be read at some distance, so you might
decide not to have one at all, or to wrap the card in a fold of aluminum
foil when you're not using it.

 

[Eeyore]

Not likely. If the EMP were strong enough to destroy electronics, it would
probably burn the skin.

I detect a note of -- arguably justifiable -- paranoia in the original post.

Instead of worrying about RFIDs in general, one should pay attention to
where they are actually used, and tale appropriate steps to protect oneself.
For example, RFIDs in debit cards can be read at some distance, so you might
decide not to have one at all, or to wrap the card in a fold of aluminum
foil when you're not using it.

Aluminium wallets !

Graham

 

[PeterD]

Does anybody know of a way to de-active(blowup) RFID chips?
Can their receiver coils be overloaded?
Those things get added to all sorts of non-obvious things,
and start to interfere with our privacy .

You mean they interfere with your shoplifting? I suppose you want this
device to be portable and easy to carry hidden, right?

 

[Eeyore]

I`ve been told that a blast from an electronic photographic flashgun in
close proximity works - Havent tried it tho, the ones origially hidden
in our wheelie bins seem to be missing

How do you find them, or was it obvious ?

Graham

 

[Eeyore]

How do you find them, or was it obvious ?

Google as ever has the answer.

http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/28/rfid-bugs-found-in-the-bottom-of-british-wheelie-bins/

http://www.binchip.co.za/
http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.phtml/4505/5529/wheelie-bin-gets-hightech-makeover.phtml

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2006/aug/28/localgovernment.science
http://www.g6phf.co.uk/site/?p=63

Graham

 

[Eeyore]

Ah it`s like the last example at http://www.g6phf.co.uk/site/?p=63
That page wouldn`t open for me at first

Ah yes, the thin one.

I just checked my wheelie bins. They've just introduced them here (St
Albans) a black one and a green one. No RFIDS in the circular cut-out in
those.

I did hear somewhere that one council has given up on using them because
they were unreliable and the crews had to keep manually entering nul
values, slowing down the collections !

Graham

 

[Eeyore]

Does anybody know of a way to de-active(blowup) RFID chips?
Can their receiver coils be overloaded?

Given that they have receiver coils, I dare say they could be
overloaded.

This site gives a manufacturer and operating frequency.
http://www.g6phf.co.uk/site/?p=63

The tag you have found is a 125KHz read only LF tag manufactured by a
Swiss company called Sokymat and uses a chip made by EmMarin, part
number EM4102. This has a 40 bit unique number laser written to the chip
at manufacture. The read range is only a few CM, so you won’t oick
anything up from it using ham gear.

It must get power somehow though and I bet you could overvolt that !

http://www.cyntag.com/
Also
http://www.binchip.co.za/
http://www.trossenrobotics.com/store/p/4776-EM4102-Tag-Kit.aspx?feed=Froogle

http://www.emmicroelectronic.com/webfiles/Product/RFID/DS/EM4102_DS.pdf

Graham

 

[Eeyore]

http://www.emmicroelectronic.com/webfiles/Product/RFID/DS/EM4102_DS.pdf

*) The AC Voltage on Coil is limited by the on chip voltage
limitation circuitry. This is according to the parameter Icoil
in the absolute maximum ratings.

Absolute Maximum Ratings
Maximum DC Current forced on COIL1 & COIL2 ICOIL ±30mA
Power Supply VDD -0.3 to 7.5V

AC Voltage on Coil Min 3 Typ 14. Vpk-pk

L: typical 20.8mH for fo = 125kHz

Graham

 

[Eeyore]

Surely the system could just enter no result if it can't read it?

Apparently no-one was clever enough to think of that. Maybe the idea was for the binmen to
estimate the weight ? They don't have the time so they enter zero instead.

Graham

 

[Eeyore]

*) The AC Voltage on Coil is limited by the on chip voltage
limitation circuitry. This is according to the parameter Icoil
in the absolute maximum ratings.

Absolute Maximum Ratings
Maximum DC Current forced on COIL1 & COIL2 ICOIL ±30mA
Power Supply VDD -0.3 to 7.5V

AC Voltage on Coil Min 3 Typ 14. Vpk-pk

L: typical 20.8mH for fo = 125kHz

Hmmmm.......... 125kHz is below the frequency where mandatory EMC specs apply
(150kHz).

I suspect you could build and sell a legal 'zapper'.

Graham

 

[N_Cook]

Does anybody know of a way to de-active(blowup) RFID chips?
Can their receiver coils be overloaded?
Those things get added to all sorts of non-obvious things,
and start to interfere with our privacy .

The simplest zapper is a kitchen piezo gas lighter slightly adapted

 

[Eeyore]

Surely the weight is measured by the lifting arm and would always work. The RFID chip is for determining the owner of the bin.

Silly me. Misreporting at fault there. So I suppose they had to enter the street address.

Graham

 

[Eeyore]

The simplest zapper is a kitchen piezo gas lighter slightly adapted

And you know this how ? ;~)

The data does say the ESD limit is 2 kV.

Graham

 

[Eeyore]

I doubt a binman is capable of such a thing.

Hence the delays ! I gather a councillor actually went out on a round with them to confirm all this. Astonishing for one of our
elected representatives to do anything so resourceful ! Of course maybe it was because all the RFID tags had been removed / zapped ?

Graham

 

[Allodoxaphobia]

Hmmmm.......... 125kHz is below the frequency where mandatory EMC specs apply
(150kHz).

I suspect you could build and sell a legal 'zapper'.

I suspect that 15 seconds in a microwave oven would render it useless.

Now, then, what about the RFID chips that the manufacturers have been
putting in the heels of your shoes, the linings of your coats and
jackets, in the front and rear bumpers of your cars, etc., usw.?

Jonesy -- always microwaves his new shoes...

 

[Jasen Betts]

Ah yes, the thin one.

I just checked my wheelie bins. They've just introduced them here (St
Albans) a black one and a green one. No RFIDS in the circular cut-out in
those.

I did hear somewhere that one council has given up on using them because
they were unreliable and the crews had to keep manually entering nul
values, slowing down the collections !

that probably meant the binmen had to fill in the blanks when the RFID
fails (due to lost/damaged/defective RFID token)