RFID Blocking Passport Cases

Filed in archive Privacy and Security on July 30, 2006

Worried about someone skimming or eavesdropping on the signal from your RFID-enabled passport? Want some additional protection, over and above the protection built into RFID systems for passports? Try RFID-blocking passport covers.

A growing number of countries are implementing RFID chips into their passports. One of the purposes behind the RFID chips is to make passports much harder to counterfeit.

I think it is safe to say that the countries implementing RFID passport systems are taking steps to make sure their systems are secure.

However, some citizens remain concerned that despite the security precautions, a bad player with illicit intent might be able to pick up the signal from their RFID-enabled passport using a hidden reader.

If you are one of these people looking for extra protection, the RFID blocking passport cover is just the answer. You now can buy passport covers (and wallets) designed to block RFID signals from leaking out and being read by someone iwth a handheld reader.

DIRFWear has come out with a line of what they call "Faraday Caged Apparel." The term comes from the concept of a Faraday Cage, which is a well-established device for blocking radio frequency signals from passing through it.

In the past I have written about Faraday cage pants. In that case, the Faraday cage pants were more of an experiment and not a commercial clothing line.

DIRFWear's line, however, is a commercial line of accessories -- and rather stylish. You can purchase them online. The company ships worldwide.