Security and Privacy in Radio-Frequency Identification

Abstract
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems are a common and useful tool in manufacturing,
supply chain management and retail inventory control. Optical barcodes, another
common automatic identification system, have been a familiar packaging feature on consumer
items for years.
Due to advances in silicon manufacturing technology, RFID costs have dropped significantly.
In the near future, low-cost RFID “electronic product codes” or “smart-labels”
may be a practical replacement for optical barcodes on consumer items. Unfortunately, the
universal deployment of RFID devices in consumer items may expose new security and
privacy risks not present in closed manufacturing environments.
This thesis presents an introduction to RFID technology, identifies several potential
threats to security and privacy, and offers several practical proposals for efficient security
mechanisms. We offer several policy suggestions and discuss various open questions and
areas of research.