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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Frank Dermody |
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Dermody bill would cover RFID technology in identity theft law
HARRISBURG, May 4 – State Rep. Frank Dermody, D-Oakmont, has introduced legislation that would expand the definition of identity theft to cover the unauthorized reading of personal data using RFID technology.
Radio frequency identification, or RFID, involves a microchip that emits radio signals and a device called a reader that picks up the signal. RFID is used in credit cards. It's also used for tracking shipments of merchandise, and in passport cards by the federal government.
"There is no doubt that RFID is important technology for businesses and even for consumers for quick and convenient payments, but the danger is that it also could be used as another opportunity for identity theft," Dermody said.
"Anyone carrying a credit card or passport containing an RFID chip runs the risk of broadcasting their identity. Advocates of the technology claim that the chip must be within a few centimeters of the reader, but with advanced technology, I am concerned that this range will only increase, allowing hackers and thieves to steal a person's personal information from a greater distance."
Credit cards using RFID have microchips with personal information imbedded in the card itself. Reading the information stored on those chips requires only a physical proximity between the card and the reader, unlike current magnetic strips which require direct contact. Dermody said that research has shown that cheap off-the-shelf hardware and software, and even homemade readers, are sufficient for obtaining personal and sensitive data contained on these chips.
The bill (H.B. 1386) has been referred to the House Consumer Affairs Committee.
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