RFID blocking case: why might it be useful to you?
By APCards | Reading time : 3 minutes
What is the RFID technology?
RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is a process for storing and retrieving data remotely.
In concrete terms, communication takes place between a radio tag and an RFID transmitter by means of electromagnetic energy transfer. Today, this technology has many applications and can be found in various everyday objects.
The radio tag can, for example, take the form of an access badge or a bank card. It is composed of an electronic chip and an antenna that enables it to receive the radio signal emitted by the reader, which is also equipped with RFID technology.
The growing use of RFID is due to the advantages it brings. In a world where every minute counts, it saves the user a lot of time. But despite its practicality, RFID technology also shows security risks which, if not considered, could be exploited.
The risk: data piracy
Because of the sensitive information it contains, the RFID chip implanted in a bank card or a company access badge is of real interest to a malicious person.
Indeed, an unprotected chip can potentially allow a third party up to one metre away to read the information on it.
In the case of a bank card, this intrusion can lead to an involuntary payment with financial damage for the victim. Regarding access badges, the risk concerns the intrusion of a foreign person on a so-called sensitive site where the access zones are strictly controlled with specific authorisations.
Fortunately, solutions exist to protect RFID chips from malicious action and avoid such incidents.
The RFID blocking case, radio wave blocker
To protect the RFID chips embedded in the cards and badges we use every day, anti-RFID cases have been developed. They work on the basis of a simple fact: the transmission of radio waves is limited through certain materials.
For example, the integration of a shielding foil inside the case stops the radio waves from being read when the card or badge is inserted into the card holder.
However, it is important to ensure that the shielding is large enough to cover the entire card for protection. This is particularly the case with the latest generation of bank cards where the antenna is located on the external borders of the card.
These cases also have the advantage of being available as card holders to protect a bank card or as badge holders compatible with a lanyard for company access badges. They can also be personalised and become useful promotional products for any company wishing to protect the data of its customers and employees.
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