Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags are poised to dramatically increase their presence in business and consumer applications. While offering advantages, this also creates new privacy risks. The document discusses key privacy issues with RFID technology, including tags becoming more unobtrusive and unique identifiers allowing individual object tracking. It recommends responsible development and deployment of RFID to enable benefits while mitigating privacy risks. Microsoft will apply privacy principles to its RFID software tools and applications to respect customer privacy.
Radio Frequency Identification RFID is a programmed innovation and helps machines or PCs to distinguish objects, record metadata or control singular focus through radio waves. Associating RFID reader to the terminal of Internet, the reader can distinguish, track and screen the articles appended with labels all inclusive, consequently, and progressively, if necessary. This is the supposed Internet of Things IOT . Radio Frequency Identification RFID is an innovation that utilizes correspondence through electromagnetic waves to trade information between a terminal and an electronic label joined to an article, with the end goal of ID and tracking Sapna Yadav | Pratibha Jha ""RFID Technology: An Overview"" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-3 | Issue-3 , April 2019, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd23247.pdf
Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/engineering/computer-engineering/23247/rfid-technology-an-overview/sapna-yadav
Journée thématique "Évaluation d’Impact sur la Vie Privée des Applications RFID"CNRFID
Le 18 mars dernier, à Paris, le CNRFID organisait une 1/2 journée thématique consacrée à l’évaluation d’impact sur la vie privée des applications RFID.
Le succès était au rendez-vous avec plus d’une trentaine de participants représentant à la fois les fournisseurs de technologies, les opérateurs d’application RFID, des consultants (techniques et juridiques) ainsi que des académiques.
IMPLEMENTING UHF RFID READER ON SMARTPHONE PLATFORM FOR IOT SENSINGcscpconf
As a core component of the Internet of Things technology (IoT), Radio Frequency Identification
(RFID) tagged items will add billions, perhaps trillions, of objects to the Internet. As a result,
uses of Ultra High Frequency (UHF) RFID sensing become massive ranging from logistics,
retail and healthcare to homes and even entire smart cities. Under this trend, mobile UHF
RFID scanners also need to evolve. Consumers will interact with their surroundings via tagged
RFID items taking full advantage of the advancing IoT. For mainstream consumer smartphones,
unfortunately, UHF RFID connectivity has yet to be fully integrated. The major challenges are:
1) the compatibility of an RFID reader module to the host platform, 2) Radio Frequency (RF)
signal coexistence interference between the RFID reader and other sensor/RF technologies, and
3) the unacceptable high current drain caused by RFID active scanning. In this paper, we
present a design and implementation of a novel modular UHF RFID scanning subsystem, the
UHF RFID reader module, on a Motorola Moto-Z smartphone. This module is fully integrated
with an Android 7.0 Operating System (OS) and directly interconnects with the low-level
smartphone hardware and software framework. With the new antenna design and the signal
spectrum analysis, we guarantee the RF isolation of the Mod with the smartphone’s other native
wireless components and sensors. Our design and implementation also address the current
drain issue and extends the battery life of Moto-Z smartphone up to 30.4 hours with IoT RFID
scanning.
Radio Frequency Identification RFID is a programmed innovation and helps machines or PCs to distinguish objects, record metadata or control singular focus through radio waves. Associating RFID reader to the terminal of Internet, the reader can distinguish, track and screen the articles appended with labels all inclusive, consequently, and progressively, if necessary. This is the supposed Internet of Things IOT . Radio Frequency Identification RFID is an innovation that utilizes correspondence through electromagnetic waves to trade information between a terminal and an electronic label joined to an article, with the end goal of ID and tracking Sapna Yadav | Pratibha Jha ""RFID Technology: An Overview"" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-3 | Issue-3 , April 2019, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd23247.pdf
Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/engineering/computer-engineering/23247/rfid-technology-an-overview/sapna-yadav
Journée thématique "Évaluation d’Impact sur la Vie Privée des Applications RFID"CNRFID
Le 18 mars dernier, à Paris, le CNRFID organisait une 1/2 journée thématique consacrée à l’évaluation d’impact sur la vie privée des applications RFID.
Le succès était au rendez-vous avec plus d’une trentaine de participants représentant à la fois les fournisseurs de technologies, les opérateurs d’application RFID, des consultants (techniques et juridiques) ainsi que des académiques.
IMPLEMENTING UHF RFID READER ON SMARTPHONE PLATFORM FOR IOT SENSINGcscpconf
As a core component of the Internet of Things technology (IoT), Radio Frequency Identification
(RFID) tagged items will add billions, perhaps trillions, of objects to the Internet. As a result,
uses of Ultra High Frequency (UHF) RFID sensing become massive ranging from logistics,
retail and healthcare to homes and even entire smart cities. Under this trend, mobile UHF
RFID scanners also need to evolve. Consumers will interact with their surroundings via tagged
RFID items taking full advantage of the advancing IoT. For mainstream consumer smartphones,
unfortunately, UHF RFID connectivity has yet to be fully integrated. The major challenges are:
1) the compatibility of an RFID reader module to the host platform, 2) Radio Frequency (RF)
signal coexistence interference between the RFID reader and other sensor/RF technologies, and
3) the unacceptable high current drain caused by RFID active scanning. In this paper, we
present a design and implementation of a novel modular UHF RFID scanning subsystem, the
UHF RFID reader module, on a Motorola Moto-Z smartphone. This module is fully integrated
with an Android 7.0 Operating System (OS) and directly interconnects with the low-level
smartphone hardware and software framework. With the new antenna design and the signal
spectrum analysis, we guarantee the RF isolation of the Mod with the smartphone’s other native
wireless components and sensors. Our design and implementation also address the current
drain issue and extends the battery life of Moto-Z smartphone up to 30.4 hours with IoT RFID
scanning.
RFID Based Security and Access Control System using ARDUINOIJMTST Journal
There has been rising demand for secure system that must be dependable and quick respond for the industries and company. To secure industries and companies this concept is helpful. RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is one of the consistent and fast means of identify the material object. In the long ago the barcode’s are more preferable as compared to RFID because of their cost but now a day’s RFID are easily available and are more convenient to use. Research has made some drastic changes which makes its programming a lot shorter and easier is because of replacing microcontroller with Arduino. Arduino makes the circuit and programming a lot easier to understand. This project is based upon security access and control system using RFID and Arduino. Security access system is very convenient to use at home, office and commercial buildings
"Combinando NFC y Datos en la Etiqueta RFID para Apoyar AAL" presentada por D...3JornadasRFID
Combinando NFC y Datos en la Etiqueta RFID para Apoyar AAL
Diego López de Ipiña, Ignacio Díaz-de-Sarralde y José Bravo
Sesión "Aplicaciones médicas y asistivas de RFID"
Identive Group | Press Release | Identive Group's RFID and Near Field Communi...Identive
Identive has announced that it has signed a distribution agreement with Avnet Electronics Marketing Americas, a business region of Avnet, Inc. (NYSE: AVT). The agreement provides Avnet's customers with access to Identive's broad range of RFID and NFC readers and embedded modules, in addition to an extensive array of RFID/NFC passive transponders and tags. Identive's RFID and NFC products enable a wide range of contactless applications including access, payment, ticketing and asset tracking.
Asset Tracking and Management using RFID for IT/Datacenters and Oil and Gas i...sam_tandon
This research was carried out as a part of my dissertation. The objective was to understand the use of RFID for asset management ranging from tracking IT assets to its uses in asset/personnel tracking in Oil and Gas industry.
I'd appreciate if you leave a comment on the slideshow. You are free to use to use the information as long as you mention the source although I would not be able to share the originals with you since it is not under my ownership alone.
Learn what’s new with the NFC Forum Certification Program and hear firsthand from DEKRA Testing and Certification, S.A.U. an Authorized Test Lab to see how they leverage the NFC Forum Certification Program to provide excellence and ensure interoperability to their customers.
New use cases thanks to adding crypto to RFID tagsIhar Bayarenka
Presentation from technology seminar in Jakarta, Feb 2017. Describing new use cases that are made possible when cryptographic authentication is added to long range RFID tags in HF and UHF frequency bands (ICODE DNA and UCODE DNA, respectively)
Full slide deck from the NFC In Action Conference held October 2014 in Tokyo, Japan.
The NFC In Action Conference is part of the NFC Forum Tap Into NFC Developer Program.
RFID Based Security and Access Control System using ARDUINOIJMTST Journal
There has been rising demand for secure system that must be dependable and quick respond for the industries and company. To secure industries and companies this concept is helpful. RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is one of the consistent and fast means of identify the material object. In the long ago the barcode’s are more preferable as compared to RFID because of their cost but now a day’s RFID are easily available and are more convenient to use. Research has made some drastic changes which makes its programming a lot shorter and easier is because of replacing microcontroller with Arduino. Arduino makes the circuit and programming a lot easier to understand. This project is based upon security access and control system using RFID and Arduino. Security access system is very convenient to use at home, office and commercial buildings
"Combinando NFC y Datos en la Etiqueta RFID para Apoyar AAL" presentada por D...3JornadasRFID
Combinando NFC y Datos en la Etiqueta RFID para Apoyar AAL
Diego López de Ipiña, Ignacio Díaz-de-Sarralde y José Bravo
Sesión "Aplicaciones médicas y asistivas de RFID"
Identive Group | Press Release | Identive Group's RFID and Near Field Communi...Identive
Identive has announced that it has signed a distribution agreement with Avnet Electronics Marketing Americas, a business region of Avnet, Inc. (NYSE: AVT). The agreement provides Avnet's customers with access to Identive's broad range of RFID and NFC readers and embedded modules, in addition to an extensive array of RFID/NFC passive transponders and tags. Identive's RFID and NFC products enable a wide range of contactless applications including access, payment, ticketing and asset tracking.
Asset Tracking and Management using RFID for IT/Datacenters and Oil and Gas i...sam_tandon
This research was carried out as a part of my dissertation. The objective was to understand the use of RFID for asset management ranging from tracking IT assets to its uses in asset/personnel tracking in Oil and Gas industry.
I'd appreciate if you leave a comment on the slideshow. You are free to use to use the information as long as you mention the source although I would not be able to share the originals with you since it is not under my ownership alone.
Learn what’s new with the NFC Forum Certification Program and hear firsthand from DEKRA Testing and Certification, S.A.U. an Authorized Test Lab to see how they leverage the NFC Forum Certification Program to provide excellence and ensure interoperability to their customers.
New use cases thanks to adding crypto to RFID tagsIhar Bayarenka
Presentation from technology seminar in Jakarta, Feb 2017. Describing new use cases that are made possible when cryptographic authentication is added to long range RFID tags in HF and UHF frequency bands (ICODE DNA and UCODE DNA, respectively)
Full slide deck from the NFC In Action Conference held October 2014 in Tokyo, Japan.
The NFC In Action Conference is part of the NFC Forum Tap Into NFC Developer Program.
n the dynamic realm of technology, innovations continue to shape and redefine industries, offering solutions that streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and revolutionize operations. One such innovation that is poised to make a significant impact is the Chipless Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. As businesses seek advanced methods to track assets, manage inventory, and enhance security, the Chipless RFID market emerges as a beacon of opportunity. This blog takes an in-depth look at the Chipless RFID market, its growth trajectory, key drivers, applications, and the transformative potential it holds.
Barcode & RFID Convergence: Enabling Greater Visibility Through StandardsVDC Research Group
This webcast was presented by VDC Research on the convergence of Barcode and RFID technologies on the GS1 US Visibility Framework.
Barcode is the dominant track and trace technology on the planet today and its value proposition is being extended by the more automated features of RFID. While these two technologies are often viewed as competitive, they are actually complimentary, and organizations are realizing the best of both worlds when they use GS1 standards as the framework for integrating RFID to improve their business processes.
Members of GS1 US and/or EPCglobal US will see that they not only have the foundation for enhanced visibility solutions, but they can implement them in a more cost effective and timely manner - all while realizing the benefits of building those solutions on a common architecture.
RFID is often most efficiently used when combined with other technologies. In this way, it can then become a route to completing and enhancing an existing solution.
Contrary to what one might think, the implementation of RFID does not trigger a
revolution of all operational processes - it can be integrated very smoothly into existing
ones and work in parallel with other solutions.
IJRET : International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology is an international peer reviewed, online journal published by eSAT Publishing House for the enhancement of research in various disciplines of Engineering and Technology. The aim and scope of the journal is to provide an academic medium and an important reference for the advancement and dissemination of research results that support high-level learning, teaching and research in the fields of Engineering and Technology. We bring together Scientists, Academician, Field Engineers, Scholars and Students of related fields of Engineering and Technology
ANS Radio frequency identification (RFID) has been around for dec.pdfmukhtaransarcloth
ANS :
Radio frequency identification (RFID) has been around for decades. Only recently, however, has
the convergence of lower cost and increased capabilities made businesses take a hard look at
what RFID can do for them.A major push came when retailinggiant Wal-Mart dramatically
announced that it would require its top 100 suppliers to supply RFID-enabled shipments by
January 2005. Though the bottom line story of that deployment has yet to surface, it does seem
to support the inevitable movement of inventory tracking and supply chain management toward
RFID.
CHALLENGES AND ISSUES IN RFID :
Although promising, RFID is not without its challenges, which arise from both a technological
and usage point of view.
Privacy concerns :
A common concern with RFID is privacy. It is disconcerting for many people to have their
movements or buying habits automatically tracked electronically. Many privacy groups are
concerned about the ability to identify people as they walk through a store or shopping center via
the tags embedded in their clothing and linked to them at the time of purchase .
However, anytime someone automatically stores and tracks personal identification in electronic
databases, privacy concerns are very real. RFID tags used in transportation systems—whether for
fare collection on mass transit systems or automatic toll payment on bridges and
highways—allows for the easy and unprecedented trackingnof movement. If you can pay for
products in an RFID tag and companies later bill you automatically, it takes all possible
anonymity out of the retail process. Companies and government agencies must address these
concerns
before the public will truly feel comfortable using RFID systems. People will want to see
policies about the use of an RFID system and the information it collects.
Security :
Security is another key issue in RFID. An organization that implements RFID in its supply chain
does not want competitors to track its shipments and inventory. People who use devices that
carry personal financial information, such as credit card or other ID numbers, do not want others
to access their accounts. These are significant security vulnerabilities in RFID. Some researchers
have proposed schemes that would require tags to authenticate readers, transmitting information
only to authorized readers.The tags would have to store ID numbers for authorized readers, and a
reader would have to broadcast its ID to the tag. To protect the reader’s ID—and prevent others
from eavesdropping and stealing the information—the reader uses either a fixed or
randomly generated number to hash (encrypt) its ID (Gao and colleagues).
Integration with legacy systems :
Another challenge to RFID is its integration into existing systems. Several vendors are
developing RFID middleware that will link new RFID systems into existing back-end
infrastructures. Middleware, for example, can help with the current lack of standards in RFID. If
an organization picks a standard that changes or l.
An Ethical Exploration of Privacy andRadio Frequency Ident.docxnettletondevon
An Ethical Exploration of Privacy and
Radio Frequency Identification Alan R. Peslak
ABSTRACT. This manuscript reviews the background
of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) as well as the
ethical foundations of individual privacy. This includes a
historical perspective on personal privacy, a review of the
United States Constitutional privacy interpretations, the
United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, European
Union Regulations, as well as the positions of industry
and advocacy groups. A brief review of the information
technology ethics literature is also included. The RFID
privacy concerns are three-fold: pre-sales activities, sales
transaction activities, and post-sales uses. A proposal to
address these privacy concerns is detailed, generally based
on past philosophical frameworks and specifically on the
Fair Information Practices that the Federal Trade Com-
mission has outlined for the electronic marketplace (e-
commerce). It is proposed that by application of these Fair
Information Practices, the major privacy issues of RFID
can be addressed.
KEY WORDS: Agency theory, deontological, electronic
commerce, ethical framework, fair information practices,
information technology ethics, privacy, radio frequency
identification, RFID, teleological
Purpose of the study
Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a tech-
nology that allows every manufactured item in the
world to be uniquely identified. Essentially, it is an
inexpensive passive electronic device that allows for
the transmission of a distinctive signal from any
product or artifact in which it is embedded or at-
tached. This technology represents unique chal-
lenges of privacy as well as monetary and security
benefits. This manuscript reviews privacy and the
issues associated with RFID including historical
perspectives, deontological and teleological issues,
and agency theory as it relates to retail privacy. The
paper continues with a methodology to address the
overall privacy issues of RFID through the applica-
tion of category and solution frameworks. The cat-
egory framework is based on privacy classes of
DeGeorge (2003). The solution framework pro-
posed is based on philosophical foundations, litera-
ture review, and the Fair Information Practices of
the Federal Trade Commission (1998, 2000). These
practices have previously been recommended for
online privacy and electronic commerce. Through
this process, a proposal to address RFID issues is
recommended.
Background of RFID
RFID Technology
RFID has been heralded as a major new technology
that will revolutionize supply chain management.
According to AIM, The Association for Automatic
Identification and Data Capture Technologies, the
use of RFID automates the process of collecting
product and transaction data (AIM, Inc., 2003c). The
actual concept uses three separate components – an
antenna, an RFID tag (programmed transponder with
unique information), and a transceiver (a r.
ER(Entity Relationship) Diagram for online shopping - TAEHimani415946
https://bit.ly/3KACoyV
The ER diagram for the project is the foundation for the building of the database of the project. The properties, datatypes, and attributes are defined by the ER diagram.
Multi-cluster Kubernetes Networking- Patterns, Projects and GuidelinesSanjeev Rampal
Talk presented at Kubernetes Community Day, New York, May 2024.
Technical summary of Multi-Cluster Kubernetes Networking architectures with focus on 4 key topics.
1) Key patterns for Multi-cluster architectures
2) Architectural comparison of several OSS/ CNCF projects to address these patterns
3) Evolution trends for the APIs of these projects
4) Some design recommendations & guidelines for adopting/ deploying these solutions.
1.Wireless Communication System_Wireless communication is a broad term that i...JeyaPerumal1
Wireless communication involves the transmission of information over a distance without the help of wires, cables or any other forms of electrical conductors.
Wireless communication is a broad term that incorporates all procedures and forms of connecting and communicating between two or more devices using a wireless signal through wireless communication technologies and devices.
Features of Wireless Communication
The evolution of wireless technology has brought many advancements with its effective features.
The transmitted distance can be anywhere between a few meters (for example, a television's remote control) and thousands of kilometers (for example, radio communication).
Wireless communication can be used for cellular telephony, wireless access to the internet, wireless home networking, and so on.
This 7-second Brain Wave Ritual Attracts Money To You.!nirahealhty
Discover the power of a simple 7-second brain wave ritual that can attract wealth and abundance into your life. By tapping into specific brain frequencies, this technique helps you manifest financial success effortlessly. Ready to transform your financial future? Try this powerful ritual and start attracting money today!
2. Contents
1 PRIVACY ISSUES IN RFID TECHNOLOGY.................................................................................3
1.1 How Privacy Threats Arise in RFID Use..........................................................................................7
2 THE MICROSOFT PERSPECTIVE ON RFID PRIVACY...............................................................13
2.1 Unauthorized Access to RFID and Associated Information........................................................13
2.2 Authorized Use of Personally Identifiable Information (PII)........................................................14
2.3 Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................15
RFID Privacy: The Microsoft Perspective PAGE 2 OF 15
3. 1 Privacy Issues in RFID Technology
RFID tags are small mobile computers that communicate over specialized protocols with RFID readers.
RFID technology has been in use for 50 years, in such applications as laundry tags, toll-road payment
systems, door and building access control, theft prevention, pre-authorized payment systems, and
tracking work-in-progress in manufacturing. These applications typically have taken place within a single
enterprise or through a single data holder, raising little concern about privacy issues. However, recent
developments are changing this situation.
The key developments that are raising the risk to privacy protection are:
• Unobtrusiveness – RFID is being developed to replace or augment bar codes in many scenarios.
It offers the advantages of being able to operate without clear line of sight, and without the need
to isolate each individual label and scan it physically by nearly touching it. These conveniences
also mean that neither tags nor readers need to be visible to an observer; tags may be scanned
without the need to physically present them to a scanning device one at a time; and there may be
no human operator of the scanner to signal its presence. Thus, RFID tags and readers, and their
operation, may not have any visible indications to an observer.
• Uniqueness of ID – There are many private series of bar codes, but the one system in most
common use across enterprises is the UPC (Universal Product Code) and its counterparts across
the world. UPC codes designate the manufacturer or source of a labeled object as well as the
type of object to which it is attached. The counterpart for RFID, now under development under
the name EPC (Electronic Product Code), includes the same information and also includes a
unique serial number for each tag. Thus, while a UPC bar code designates a type or model of
object, an EPC RFID tag designates a specific object. This raises the possibility that individual
objects might be tracked over time through the accumulated record of their sightings by RFID
readers.
• Interoperability – In the past, essentially all RFID applications have been carried out by a single
enterprise. That enterprise controlled all readers and their operation, and held all the data. In
most deployments, the readers were situated entirely on the premises of that enterprise.
However, the new standards emerging for RFID emphasize the ability for the same tag to be read
usefully by many enterprises. The model is that any enterprise can read a tag and query some
repositories for information about that tag and its history. While there may be standard
protections applied to the repositories, the universal access to their portals elevates the risk of
data leakage to a new degree.
• Proliferation – The above developments, combined with cost-reducing technologies, are fueling a
massive movement around the world to improve the efficiency of goods distribution (the supply
chain) through the application of RFID. This is a very commendable goal, whose success is a
goal of Microsoft as well as many other industries and agencies. However, the proliferation of
RFID tags will also mean that the risks associated with the developments outlined above will
increase. And, where risks exist, vigorous attention to their mitigation is necessary.
A detailed analysis of the scenarios of RFID use shows that these developments are not likely to result in
privacy breaches in the mainstream use of RFID currently under development, i.e. in the supply chain.
The scenarios that would result in the leakage of individual private information are still hypothetical and
require numerous developments in the marketplace and in consumer lifestyle. The potential is there, but
society-wide privacy breaches through RFID are not imminent at this time.
There are some technological considerations that also limit any current risk to privacy. One factor is that
the passive tags slated for widespread adoption have a broadcast range limited by unlicensed radio
RFID Privacy: The Microsoft Perspective PAGE 3 OF 15
4. power regulations and by physics to roughly 10 feet in practice (the reader signal may be received from
farther away, perhaps 90 feet, but the tag response is a fraction of that power). Active tags used in
transportation and manufacturing may have a broadcast range of 300 feet, but these are much more
expensive and are not slated for labeling individual consumer items. At the other extreme, contactless
SmartCards and related RFID tags may become common for consumers, but they have a communication
range around 8 inches. Another mitigating factor could be the inclusion of security measures on RFID
tags and readers. The new generation of passive tags being developed for mass deployment do not
currently have password protections planned to be built in.
In this article, Microsoft illustrates how privacy threats can arise from RFID, and enumerates the key
threats in various settings. In general, the key threat to consumer privacy arises from a combination of
circumstances that will occur at an indeterminate point in the future, not in the near term. However, it is
appropriate to consider those future circumstances and to develop practices and policies that will engage
the benefits of RFID while helping to ensure that privacy is protected. Microsoft therefore presents
recommendations for responsible use of RFID in this article as well.
Microsoft’s primary role in the RFID community is to provide software tools for the developers of RFID
hardware components and software systems. Many of Microsoft’s existing products are already
prominently in use in the RFID community, and new products are under development that are specifically
related to RFID. In addition, Microsoft products may be tagged with RFID in the course of manufacturing
and distribution. Through all of these activities, Microsoft’s respect for its customers will govern our
creation and use of RFID technology. We are committed to following the same principles and practices
we are recommending to the broader RFID community.
RFID Privacy: The Microsoft Perspective PAGE 4 OF 15
5. The many settings for RFID use are illustrated in Figure 1..
Figure 1. Settings for RFID Use
In this figure are shown several settings for RFID use:
I. Manufacturing material processing has been and continues to be an arena of RFID use.
II. The global supply chain, from manufacturing to shipping to distribution to the retail backroom, is
poised for explosive growth in the use of RFID. For shipping (conveyances and containers), active
tags are typically used to provide long reading range. For packing (pallets, cases, and totes),
typically passive tags will be used. Currently, active tags are not planned for use in consumer
RFID Privacy: The Microsoft Perspective PAGE 5 OF 15
Suppliers
Packaging Warehouse
Distribution
Retail
Shipping & Wholesale
Manufacturing
After-Market
II: Supply Chain
VII: Specialized Uses
Receiving
Tolls&Parking Laundry
$
$
$
Smart Credit Cards Staff Location
Environment
Monitoring
IV: Consumer
Home Appliances
Fabrication
I : Material
Processing
$
$
$
Point of Sale
III: Storefront
Sales
Floor
Assembly
Asset
Management
VI: Enterprise
Shopping Mall
Hotel
Airport
School
V: Public Places
6. scenarios. This requires interoperable RFID tags, such as those under development through the
EPCglobal Inc. standards body.
III. For use in the storefront, tags must be applied at the level of individual items rather than shipping
units such as crates. These would be passive, interoperable tags. Adoption in the storefront will
be slower than adoption for the supply chain, because many more readers and tags will be
needed. Item-level tagging is beginning to appear for high-value goods and for large items (which
are also considered “cases” for shipping purposes).
IV. Consumer scenarios are “after-market”, meaning that they would be based on item-level tags
applied by the manufacturer, and which remain present and active on the goods after the point of
sale or acquisition. Such scenarios include smart medicine cabinets and smart kitchens; but these
have been primarily research scenarios. At present, there are few consumer scenarios being
developed outside of research projects.
V. Scenarios in public places would presumably use the same tags as consumer scenarios, but
would involve RFID readers in public venues. Few such scenarios have been proposed, however
those that are typically seem to be government mandated programs.
VI. Within enterprises, asset management and other scenarios can be extremely valuable. To date,
such RFID installations have been based on privately issued tags bearing private number codes.
However, in the future, if interoperable item-level tags are applied during manufacture, those tags
might be used for asset management within enterprises. Health-care facilities may be among the
early adopters of RFID for asset management.
VII. Specialized uses are typically within-enterprise or single-data-holder, and represent the traditional
uses of RFID.
The key privacy-related issues that can be noted through this figure are:
• Privacy threats are primarily embodied by tags that are interoperable across enterprises, meaning
that many different enterprises may be able to access data about the same tags, and the data
may be held by many operators. This arises in settings II, III, IV, V, and possibly VI.
• Privacy threats in RFID generally concern its association with information about individuals, which
can only occur with item-level tagging. This will arise only to the extent that setting III becomes
viable, or for high-value or large goods that are also shipping units.
• Information about purchases that is contained within the retail establishment is generally
considered a legitimate record; the privacy concerns thus arise when tagged goods are carried by
individuals from the storefront into settings IV and V.
• If tags are deactivated at the point of sale, then private RFID information is not carried from the
storefront to the after-market settings. Thus, the privacy threat is substantially limited to the case
that tags are not deactivated at the point of sale. Assuming deactivation is available, the
motivation for not choosing it might be from the consumer’s desire to use tags in settings IV and
V, however, such scenarios appear to be distant. Another motivation might be compliance with
requirements such as return or warranty policies, item function, or recycling regulations. There
are no such compliance requirements at this time.
• Even if all the above conditions were met – interoperable tags, applied at item level, carried out of
the storefront, for use in after-market settings – the privacy threat is minimal inside of one’s home
(setting IV). It arises only if there are involuntary leaks of data by appliances, or snooping by
guests in the home (invited or uninvited); we do not expect these to be common scenarios.
(Scares about snooping from outside the home are not supported by the technological realities.)
Thus, it is the carrying of tags into public places that gives rise to the key privacy concerns
(setting V).
RFID Privacy: The Microsoft Perspective PAGE 6 OF 15
7. • From this, we conclude that the privacy threats are very real, but they concern scenarios that are
far from the present round of development of the technology, which is aimed primarily at setting II,
the global supply chain.
1.1 How Privacy Threats Arise in RFID Use
Figure 2. Within-Enterprise Use of RFID
In Figure 2., the use of RFID is shown within a single enterprise. When the tag is issued (i.e., assigned a
unique ID number), a corresponding entry is written into a private database. Later, when the tag is
observed, the ID number can be used to retrieve associated data from the database. There are two
opportunities for data leakage:
• A snooper with a radio could observe the tag in unauthorized times or places. However, this is
unlikely since the presumption in this figure is that the tag used is restricted to a single enterprise.
Any snooper would have to be on (or very near) the premises.
• Someone could break into the tag database, or the data could be used inappropriately. These
are real concerns, but they arise in all IT situations and are not unique to RFID. In the within-
enterprise scenario, these IT concerns are not exacerbated by the fact that RFID is being used.
Example: Fabrikam, Inc. manufactures hats. In its factory, each hat is placed in an RFID tagged tote
bin used to track the hat’s progress through the factory. As each hat is placed in a bin, the hat’s
description is recorded in an internal database along with the bin’s tag ID number. There is no
external use of the RFID tags, and they are not interoperable with other businesses or consumers.
The danger of radio snooping is minimal, as someone would have to enter the premises of the
factory. The database is of minimal value to the outside, and is protected by standard IT security
measures.
RFID Privacy: The Microsoft Perspective PAGE 7 OF 15
Issue Tag Observe Tag
RFID Tag
Tag
Database
Snoop via radio
(unlikely)
Who sees data?
(IT issue)
8. Figure 3. RFID Use Between Trading Partners
Figure 3 shows the use of RFID between trading partners. This scenario adds the physical transport of
the tagged goods, along with the transfer of information from one database (sender) to another (receiver).
The danger of radio snooping within either enterprise is omitted for the reason given above; and the
transfer of data over the network is likewise considered not to be an RFID-specific threat. The primary
privacy threats are:
• Radio snooping while goods are in transit. Since the databases are assumed to be secure in this
scenario, such snooping of tag IDs would have little value.
• Leakage of data from the source or destination database. As described above, the issues here
are well-known IT issues and are not specific to RFID.
Example: Fabrikam, Inc. manufactures hats. In its factory, each hat is placed in an RFID tagged
case for shipping to retailers. As each hat is placed in a case, the hat’s description is recorded in an
internal database along with the case’s tag ID number. When Fabrikam, Inc. ships cases of hats to
Northwind Traders, a retail store chain, the database entries describing the cases’ contents are also
transmitted. Northwind Traders will remove the hats from the cases prior to putting them out for
purchase in the storefront.
Snooping via radio is a possibility, since the tagged cases will be in transit on public streets, but the
information is of minimal value. The database is also of minimal value, and is protected by both
Fabrikam and Northwind Traders using standard IT security measures.
RFID Privacy: The Microsoft Perspective PAGE 8 OF 15
Issue Tag
Observe Tag
RFID Tag
Tag Database
Observe Tag
RFID Tag
Tag Database
Snoop via
radio
Who sees data?
(IT issue)
Who sees data?
(IT issue)
Sender
Receiver
9. Figure 4. RFID Use in Anonymous Interoperation
Figure 4. also shows the use of RFID between trading partners, but in this scenario an external, third-
party database is used to store data related to the tagged goods. Most of the privacy issues are the same
as the Trading Partner scenario; the new issues pertain to this external database (as before, generic IT
issues are omitted):
• Who is allowed to query this database? Presumably all trading partners who handle these
tagged items will be authorized. What other parties are authorized to fetch information?
• Who can monitor the queries to this database? Monitoring the queries can also reveal
information, even when the returned data is encrypted or otherwise hidden.
Example: As above, Fabrikam manufactures hats which are sold by Northwind Traders. However,
Fabrikam now uses RFID tags that are interoperable with all their retail distributors, not just
Northwind Traders. The database information is copied to a third-party network site, operated by A.
Datum Corporation, from which Northwind Traders and other retailers can retrieve it. Northwind
Traders will remove the hats from the cases prior to putting them out for purchase in the storefront.
The tag data and database information are of minimal value, as above. However, there are additional
opportunities for information dissemination, intentional or not, due to the storage of the database at A.
Datum Corporation, and its Internet-accessible web service. A. Datum Corporation must take
standard security measures, including authentication and authorization, in protecting both the data
content, and the queries and responses that it communicates with others.
RFID Privacy: The Microsoft Perspective PAGE 9 OF 15
Issue Tag
Observe Tag
RFID Tag
Tag Database
Observe Tag
RFID Tag
Tag
Database
External
Tag Database
Who can
query?
Who sees
queries?
Snoop via
radio
Who sees data?
(IT issue)
Who sees data?
(IT issue)
Who sees data?
(IT issue)
Sender
Receiver
10. Figure 5. Private RFID Use in an After-Market Consumer Scenario
Figure 5. shows the first consumer-use scenario (setting IV in Figure 1.). Here, the source enterprise is
the retailer, and the receiver is the consumer’s home. The privacy threats are the same as for Figure 4,
with one addition:
• Radio snooping of items in the home. This is considered an unlikely threat due to the low radio
power levels of returned signal from passive RFID tags. Signals are readable at a distance of a
few feet in ideal circumstances, and there would be little or no signal to be read through the walls
of the home. One can imagine snooping by a skillful guest or through extraordinary means. This
risk could be mitigated through the use of passwords and data encryption if such standards were
included in future generations of tags. Note that the availability and use of an external database
is required for such after-market scenarios, since the consumer is presumably not a “trading
partner” of the store with electronic database synchronization. Thus, the store must post the data
into a customer-accessible data store.
Two threats that were present in the previous scenario are elevated; they are highlighted here:
• The database of the vendor is more valuable if it contains ID numbers of RFID tags along with
associated PII (personally identifiable information) about the purchaser. There may be an
incentive for the vendor to accumulate and possibly use or sell this information.
• The database inside the home could be exposed to the Internet by design or by accident. Since
individual consumers would be administering such databases, there will be many people lacking
the skill, information, or resources to properly ensure the security of their home inventory data.
RFID Privacy: The Microsoft Perspective PAGE 10 OF 15
Issue Tag
Observe Tag
RFID Tag
Tag Database
Observe Tag
RFID Tag
Tag
Database
External
Tag Database
Who can
query?
Who sees
queries?
Who sees data?
(IT issue)
Who sees data?
(IT issue)
Who sees data?
(IT issue)
Snoop via
radio
Home
Retailer
Snoop via
radio (unlikely)
11. Example: Northwind Traders requires that all its suppliers tag individual items for sale, including the
hats it receives from Fabrikam, Inc. These suppliers, including Fabrikam, record the item
descriptions in A. Datum Corporation’s data warehouse. Northwind Traders sells these hats, with
tags still attached.
Helen is a customer who buys a hat at Northwind Traders and puts it into her RFID-enabled “smart
closet” in her house that can give her an inventory list of what’s inside. The smart closet reads the
tags of all items using a reader built into the closet; it then sends a query to A. Datum Corporation’s
web service to retrieve the description of each item. These descriptions can then be listed or queried
by Helen or by other authorized people in her house via the Internet.
The added privacy risks include exposure of Northwind Trader’s database, radio snooping in or
around Helen’s house, and exposure of her smart closet inventory database. Radio snooping of
(passive RFID) tags from anywhere outside the closet itself would be difficult due to the RFID
attenuation of the closet walls; outside the house, the difficulty would be much greater due to
additional walls and distance from the tags. The database of the smart closet might be shared with
other appliances in the home, but probably will not be exposed outside the home to the Internet. If it
is exposed, Helen would need to use appropriate security measures or risk its interception.
Helen might not be too sensitive about others learning her choice in hats. But, she might be more
concerned if they could learn what she is reading, or what medicines she purchases.
Figure 6. After-Market RFID Use in a Public Venue
Finally, in Figure 6., we see the key privacy threats emerge when RFID tags are applied to individual
items (blue), remain active in the consumer’s possession (green) after the point of sale, and are then
carried by the consumer into public venues (orange). This is shown as setting V in Figure 1.. The new or
exacerbated dangers are shown here in red:
RFID Privacy: The Microsoft Perspective PAGE 11 OF 15
Issue Tag
RFID Tag
Tag Database
Observe Tag
Tag Database
External Tag
Database
RFID TagRFID TagRFID TagRFID TagRFID TagRFID Tag
Authorized
use?
Who sees data?
(IT issue)
Who sees data?
(IT issue)
Snoop via
radio
Who can
query?
Who sees
queries?Who sees data?
(IT issue)
Snoop via
radio
Snoop via
radio (unlikely)
Retailer
Public Venues
Home
12. • Since the tagged goods are being carried by the consumer into public places, there is a more
tangible threat of unauthorized snooping by radio. Such radios could be carried by individuals or
sited in fixed locations within enterprises or public venues. In practice, the radio physics would
make such snooping awkward, for example it would require a close-contact swipe by a small
antenna, or the use of a larger (several-inch square) antenna at a distance of a few feet. So, this
threat is small, but the possibility exists.
• When an RFID reader is in use in a public place, the “notice” principle, discussed below, requires
that its presence be announced. Even if an RFID reader’s presence is announced, there may be
a concern over the use to which the collected data is put, as well as concern over the
interpretation of the announcement.
• The usual concerns about IT security of the venue’s database apply, but they are exacerbated
because now there may be many venues observing the tags’ presence. Thus, there are many
data holders, and they may have varying levels of skill and compliance with data privacy and
security practices.
• Since queries may be made of the external database from many venues, the record of these
queries becomes revealing about the consumer’s activities. Thus, the danger posed by snooping
on the queries, or other inappropriate use of the query history, is exacerbated.
Example: Helen purchases a tagged hat at Northwind Traders, and she wears it when she goes
shopping. Each venue that she enters, such as Fourth Coffee, Blue Yonder Mall, and the Southridge
Video in Blue Yonder Mall, could operate RFID readers that read her hat’s tag. Fourth Coffee doesn’t
bother to read RFID tags, but Southridge Video is concerned about theft and has tag readers at its
doors; and the Blue Yonder Mall records the entries and exits of customers at its various stores. This
data is sold to some of the stores, such as Tailspin Toys, which combine it with their own sales
records for targeted marketing. Tailspin Toys, lacking the sophistication to do the analysis, actually
ships the data to Trey Research to generate reports and mailing lists.
Since Helen is wearing her hat in public, there is a possibility of the hat being scanned by other
people using covert RFID readers to read the tags of passers-by. This is technologically awkward,
but not inconceivable. Helen expects the anti-theft RFID use by Southridge Video, but she would be
surprised to learn that it registers her hat. She is also unaware of the recording of her hat’s
movements acquired and sold by Blue Yonder Mall. If her personal information is linked to the hat
then her movements may be inferred, otherwise it is merely the hat’s location/information that is being
tracked.
Tailspin Toys is sometimes concerned that its staff may not be following all the security procedures
carefully when exchanging data with Trey Research. All of these data handlers query the service at
A. Datum Corporation for details about the hat and its history; Helen has little or no awareness of this
data trail or the history of its use. All of these records, of course, could be subject to discovery during
a legal proceeding.
Against the background of these threats, Microsoft offers the following recommendations concerning
RFID privacy.
RFID Privacy: The Microsoft Perspective PAGE 12 OF 15
13. 2 The Microsoft Perspective on RFID Privacy
The primary scenario in which RFID poses risks for consumer privacy will arise when a person has an
item that has been acquired, with an RFID tag that remains active for after-market scenarios,
especially when this item is carried into a public venue. The clear privacy threats emerge under these
conditions:
• The tag must be on an item that a consumer would acquire, rather than on a shipping unit.
• At the point of acquisition the RFID tag ID can be associated with other personal information.
• If a tag is deactivated at the point of acquisition, it no longer exposes personal information. But, if
there are after-market scenarios for RFID use, a customer might be motivated not to deactivate
the tag at the point of acquisition.
• The threats are greatest when the item is carried into a public venue in which its tag may be
exposed to RFID readers operated by other parties.
The exposure of private information can be due to snooping (unauthorized) or legitimate use (authorized).
2.1 Unauthorized Access to RFID and Associated Information
Unauthorized access to information in computers is generally prevented by security measures built into
those systems. The new threats from RFID arise from the proliferation of such data, and from the
possibility of snooping via radio.
• The security issues arising from the proliferation of data can best be addressed by continuation of
current efforts to develop stronger protection technologies, to educate system operators, and to
provide them with new tools that are easier to use and more effective.
• Radio snooping must be prevented by a combination of three features:
o Authorization of readers to tags, for example requiring a password from the reader
before a tag will communicate with it.
o Authentication of tags to readers for anti-counterfeiting, for example using an algorithm
or unique “signature” feature of a tag.
o Encryption of data transmitted between a tag and a reader.
Authorization, authentication, and encryption for RFID should all be developed and applied on a
routine basis to ensure trustworthiness of RFID radio communications.
One source of concern to privacy advocates and to the general public has been the absence of these
features from the current proposals for interoperable RFID tags. It is our view the technology currently
under development should include some or all of these features and or the ability for tags to be
deactivated. If a tag is deactivated at the point of sale, the key potential threat to security is eliminated,
but the tag becomes unavailable for after-market use. The development of security measures for
authorization, authentication, and encryption could allow after-market use while also preserving privacy.
RFID Privacy: The Microsoft Perspective PAGE 13 OF 15
14. 2.2 Authorized Use of Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
Microsoft believes in trusted relationships, including the safeguarding of personal information. We have a
single principle that guides our policies around consumer privacy and data protection: “Microsoft
customers will be empowered to control the collection, use and distribution of their personal
information.” Microsoft’s approach to putting consumers in control of data about them is based on the
widely-accepted concept of Fair Information Practices, which form the basis of a number of privacy laws
and industry guidelines, such as the European Data Protection Directive. Our policies are intended to
provide a set of standards that apply to all personally identifiable information, irrespective of the
technology in use.
Based on those policies, Microsoft presents these recommendations for policies to protect privacy in the
context of RFID:
Notice
Conspicuous notification must be posted and the governing privacy statement must be available near
the readers and tags when RFID tags are in use. Items or packaging tagged using RFID tags must
be so labeled. The privacy statement must include information on the purposes for which tags and
readers are being used.
Choice and Consent
Consumers must be provided with the choice to remove or deactivate tags on purchased items
without impairing the primary use of the item or impacting the conditions of purchase (e.g., warranty,
returns).
Onward Transfer (Transfers to Third Parties)
Consumers must be notified if personal data associated with RFID tags is being transferred to third
parties and be given the opportunity to consent to any secondary use. Data transfers of personal
data must include appropriate security measures.
Access
Reasonable access must be provided for customers to their personal data associated with RFID tags
to correct or amend such data.
Security
Appropriate security measures must be in place to help protect personal information from
unauthorized access, use or disclosure.
Data Integrity and Data Quality
Reasonable steps must be taken to ensure personal data associated with RFID tags is relevant and
reliable for its intended use.
Enforcement and Remedy
Consumers must have a mechanism for dispute resolution with the RFID data collector.
The above principles are widely understood to be applied to private information such as Personally
Identifiable Information. There are additional scenarios which may require additional analysis:
• A person buys a hat with an RFID tag. Later, the hat’s movements are tracked through a
shopping mall. Even if there is no association with the person’s PII, the person may feel that this
RFID Privacy: The Microsoft Perspective PAGE 14 OF 15
15. tracking is intrusive, especially if the value of the data is high enough that a data holder chooses
to sell the data.
• A government mandate requires that all automobiles be fitted with RFID for various administrative
purposes. In this case, the government has provided no consumer choice. In general, there can
be other compelling public or private interests that must be reconciled with the protection of
individual privacy, and governments may decide, through the political process, that such interests
take precedence over privacy.
• Different jurisdictions have differing privacy laws concerning what information is protected and
what protections are required.
In all of these cases, Microsoft believes that the principle of customer empowerment can provide
guidance to public and private establishments as they implement RFID, to ensure that the technology can
be put to good use while protecting individual privacy.
2.3 Conclusion
Microsoft believes that the responsible development and deployment of RFID technology can address the
privacy concerns with the use of RFID. Continued development of radio security technology for RFID is
also a necessary step in the technology’s evolution. Application of the Fair Information Practices and
other existing laws and regulations around the world provides a sound basis for addressing the privacy of
individuals who use or come in contact with RFID. Applying accepted IT controls over the data collected,
developing new security tools for non-professionals, and following the well established guidelines and
principles for enterprises using the technology will all contribute to responsible development and
deployment of RFID in the supply chain and beyond.
RFID Privacy: The Microsoft Perspective PAGE 15 OF 15