Ski industry deployment and use of RFID. Hacking and cloning
Aspen Ski Company integrated RFID technology into ski season passes in 2008-09. According a recent article in Computer World magazine, “The company will also extend the RFID program so that ski passes can be used as stored-value cards in any of its retail shops and restaurants, says Paul Major, managing director of technology for Aspen Ski Co. The expanded use of RFID technologies “helps us to identify our truly loyal customers,” says Major.”
As profits get squeezed in the current economy, resorts (businesses) will be looking for additional or increasing revenue sources and/or lowering of expenses. As I have been recently reminded, that is the primary objective. If the convenience of stored-value on RFID makes it easier for a guest to buy, and buy more frequently, then that is what the resort will do.
I believe integrating more information on the RFID chip is the direction the industry will travel. Instead of the magnetic strips on the back of cards, resorts will move toward putting “Stored value” on RFID cards. We shall be told that the systems are “encrypted and safe”, there will be many who blindly believe this. However, this will invite hackers and thieves to “go where the money is”. This is not paranoia, this is reality.
The MBTA subway system was hacked a few years back by MIT students. RFID, Magstrips, and stored-value fare cards systems were all hacked. The MBTA tried to silence the data as they want to keep the pubic ignorant of the situation. The MIT students released a slide show “Anatomy of a Subway Hack”
Squeezed to read, release to ride technology
As you travel to a resort which incorporates RFID in their lift passes, you may not know what information is stored on the RFID chip in your pass or how it is encrypted, nor what type of back office safety systems the resort has in place. But one thing you CAN do is to use a Ski Pass Defender to block RFID intrusion and prevent cloning of your pass. Push the clip to allow it to scan (even through clothing), and let it go for protection.
Filed under: News • SkiPassDefender updates
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My understanding is that a couple swift smacks to an RFID with a hammer will disable it. Urban myth? Might be really simple to disable the RFID though. Any info on this?
Yeah, I hear that you can use a hole-punch to disable it too. I bet a hammer would certainly do the trick. I’m going to be using a SkiPassDefender so I can still use the tracking services and social media features that come with the new RFID tracking systems when I want to, but be able to turn them off at will.
Jason and Steve,
there are a few different ways to permanently disable the RFID chip in the pass. You can use a hole punch, hammer or Microwave. Although I wouldn’t recommend the microwave. If you do this, the pass needs to have a bar code system (VR does) to scan and use your pass, and you will have to take the pass out from your jacket each time it needs to be scanned. If your pass is unable to scan the resort may require you to get a new pass and leave you at square one.
As Steve mentions, the SkiPassDefender still allows the user to use the benefits of RFID in passes or resort applications without mutilating the card.
I certainly hope the industry moves down the path of RF implementation with significant empathy toward the consumer. I think marketing team everywhere learned that they CAN, but may have not asked themselves if they SHOULD.
Thank you for the comments,
Jonathan
There are lots of ways to permanently disable it – but then you can’t use it to ride the lift. Given that’s probably why you bought the pass, this doesn’t seem like the best option. Better to temporarily disable it…and conveniently enable it when you get to the lift scanner.