An Embassy Representative Was Under Surveillance Through His Underwear

You might think that the embassy representatives are the people who are protected by the government of the country they represent. And they often have a bodyguard with them for their security. But no one would have ever thought that someone could spy on them via an RFID tag on their... underwear.

RFID tagging and privacy concerns

It seems unreal and against consumer rights. But it is a fact that government structures or others might use such tags for spying on people. The use of RFIDs for tracking sensitive data led to several anti-RFID campaigns.

RFID tags are usually used in logistics and retail to track the goods, prevent stealing and keep information about the product. But since they could be edited and rewritten, if a person gets access to the RFID on something that belongs to you, they could spy on you - track your location, for example. And if the product is purchased with a credit card or the loyalty card was used while buying it, the unique ID of that item's RFID would make it possible to deduce the identity of the one who purchased it.

RFID protection

While in a situation like the one described in the beginning we wouldn't know that there's such a tag present in our belongings, there is a way to protect your sensitive data on RFID tags from acquiring without consent.

Our company provides backpacks with RFID-protection. If you put an RFID tag in a blocking compartment, it won't be detected anywhere. It is especially helpful if you use RFID tags to store some confidential information or to gain access to some places or databases.

RFID tags are not the only sensitive data storing chips that we can carry around but would still want to keep safe. Nowadays, there are multiple ways of scanning the nearest devices using, for example, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection.

It is important to protect your data, so here are some useful practices:

1. Keep your passwords and bank info secured. Never give your CVV code (the three digits on the backside of your bank card) to anyone you don't know - a service asks for your CCV/CVV only when it has to withdraw some money from your account.
2. Use VPN whenever you are not sure about the safety of the connection you use - for example, Wi-Fi in public places like cafes or libraries. It will protect you from a man-in-the-middle attack.
3. Protect your devices with a passcode, but it should never be something like your birthday. Others might use Face ID or Touch ID without your consent - for example, someone would only need a picture of your face or your fingerprint to get into your phone.

In the present, it is important to pay attention to your devices and personal items. It is important to protect sensitive data. So this is a gentle reminder for you to stay safe and protect your digital data. For your safety, we offer different laptop backpacks that come with RFID-protected compartments or extra locks you should take a look at.