Privacy advocates are appalled by the ongoing plan to equip all U.S. passports with RFID chips that can be read surreptitiously from a distance Business Week reports. Computer security expert Bruce Schneier says:
We do need passports with more data. But they chose a chip that can be queried remotely and surreptitiously. I can’t think of any reason why the government would do that, other than that they want surreptitious access. And if airport and border security guards can read everyone’s passports on the sly, so could anyone with a radio-chip reader, from terrorists to identity thieves.
I’ve got to get the hell out of this country.
not to worry – 15 seconds on full power in the microwave should cleanse the passport.
Perhaps one of those old style british passport holders, with an integral faraday shield, would be worth considering?