RFID Cards are now everywhere. Many of the cards we use today, such as RFID credit cards and passports, are RFID cards. But the safety of the RFID card worries us. Why? And how to protect RFID cards? Are RFID blockers necessary? That’s what we’re going to talk about in this article.
As we all know, the development of science and technology is sometimes like a double-edged sword. For example, RFID technology makes us more convenient; nevertheless, it also brings some threats. They allow us to save time when shopping and make it more convenient to travel, but at the same time increase the risk of information disclosure.
Are our RFID credit cards really safe?
As early as 2015, the Daily Mail reported that a new type of digital theft began to appear in stations and shopping malls. This kind of digital pickpocketing has a new technology that can easily steal your bank card information without touching your wallet. The criminals stood 15 centimeters away and used RFID readers to get bank information, a practice known as Digital Skimming.
A Chinese technology company has also done related tests, only through a palm-sized card reader, can quickly read the consumption information of RFID bank cards. It seems that you can only read ordinary information, but it is said that as long as hackers are curious, they can copy the same bank card and use it for consumption.
Please imagine a picture of a crook quietly hacking your RFID credit card with a small reader when you are waiting in line in a store or coffee shop, or sitting in a crowded MRT or taking an elevator to work. When he smiles at you or even talks to you, the mobile RFID reader in his backpack is accurately reading the digital data of your office key card in your wallet, pocket, or purse. It’s scary, isn’t it?
How do we protect RFID cards?
To understand how to protect our RFID cards, we must first understand why our RFID cards are easy to be stolen. We all know that RFID is a form of wireless communication. The RFID chip can realize fast scanning and contactless payment. These chips send out radio signals that anyone with a reader may try to intercept.
Under the condition of satisfying the hardware and software, the card does not need to contact the RFID reader, as long as it is in the reading range, the RFID reader can read the information in the card at will and carry on the payment operation. As a result, in public places such as buses, subways, and shopping malls, RFID cards loaded in belts, or even wallets may be stolen by lawbreakers in a moment of passing.
Fortunately, RFID technology uses electromagnetic waves to transmit signals, and RFID signals cannot penetrate metal materials, so it is easy to block it. If there is the aluminum foil in the wallet, the signal can be easily blocked.
Besides, if there are multiple RFID cards of different frequencies in the wallet, and the RFID cards interfere with each other, it will be difficult or impossible to read. Moreover, many RFID blocking products have appeared on the market to protect your RFID card, such as RFID blocking cards, RFID blocking sleeves, RFID shielded wallets, RFID holders, RFID bag, etc.
How to choose RFID blockers? Which better?
What is an RFID blocking card? RFID blocking card, an intelligent anti-theft card, is designed for shielding the wireless signal of 13.56MHz smart card and preventing the card information from being stolen by lawbreakers.
Generally, it works on 13.56MHz and is made of PVC or PET material. As the credit card protector, RFID blocking card is easy to use: putting it with RFID cards, the signal of the high-frequency credit card can be shielded from external interference, and the card information can be prevented from being stolen.
According to the technology, RFID blocking cards can be divided into RFID metal layer blocking card and RFID module blocking card. RFID metal layer blocking card is to add a layer of aluminum foil in the middle of the card to achieve the shielding effect, while the RFID module blocking card uses the latest blocking module to prevent arbitrary reading, which is a better and safer way with better shielding performance and slightly higher price.
Besides, there are two kinds of RFID blocking cards: with LED light or no LED light. The RFID blocking card without LED light is inserted directly into the wallet, and the unlimited signal of the credit card will be effectively shielded. No matter what equipment the lawbreakers use, they will not be able to steal your card information and prevent the information from leaking.
The blocking card with a built-in LED lamp, compared with the RFID blocker without an LED lamp, adds a reminder function. When lawbreakers bring special theft signal equipment close to you, the LED light will shine and play a reminder role.
| RFID Card Sleeve |
What is an RFID card sleeve? RFID sleeve is another kind of RFID blocker, which is mainly composed of coated paper or PVC and aluminum foil material. The aluminum foil can block battery wave interference to form a signal shielding, so this is a perfect combination of new technology and traditional material performance.
There are mainly paper RFID sleeves and Plastic RFID sleeves, their principle is the same that both use aluminum foil layer to shield 13.56 high-frequency card signals. Compared with other RFID blockers, RFID card sleeves have one drawback that it can only hold one RFID card. But it is more economical rather than others. RFID credit card sleeves come in a variety of colors, styles, etc. and you can customize it according to your requirements.
RFID cards are no longer safe in ordinary wallets, so is there a secure wallet that can prevent criminals from stealing our credit card information and protect our cards? RFID blocking wallets can do this.
RFID wallets look like ordinary wallets, but they have built-in RFID protection: some anti-theft wallets are made of special fabric, some are embedded in metal sheets or metal boxes, and some are completely made of metal, making them like a Faraday cage that prevents RFID signals from being read by lawbreakers.
With the demand of the market, the RFID protection wallet is becoming more and more complete in style and function, unlike the original RFID wallet, which is staid and single-styled. You have many choices. There are RFID wallets for women and RFID wallets for men, fashionable and versatile.
You can choose a large-capacity RFID wallet, which can hold more RFID cards, 10-15 cards, or even more, and your passport can also be put in it. Or you can choose an RFID slim wallet for travel, easy to carry, and security.
If you are looking for an RFID blocker that can hold multiple RFID cards and is easy to pick up cards, then the RFID holder is the best choice. The RFID card holder is a separate box with a unique switch design. As long as you gently press the bottom switch, the credit card will pop up step by step, very convenient.
The RFID blocking box is made of metal and can completely shield the signal. Besides, there is also an ABS RFID holder composed of ABS shell and aluminum foil material, cheaper than the all-metal one.
A general RFID holder can hold 6-8 cards, enough to meet the needs, especially suitable for travel. RFID holder also supports laser engraving and other crafts, you can carve your favorite patterns or text on the shell, very personalized and textured. There are a variety of colors and styles that you can choose.
RFID blocking products: Are they necessary?
Do I need an RFID blocker like RFID-Blocking Sleeve for my credit card? There are always doubts. Some people say that the probability of RFID card theft is so low that it is not necessary to use RFID wallets. But if you’re worried about just in case, buying an RFID blocker will make your travel more secure, then it is well worth it. And its price is not that high, and you can choose more economical RFID blocking products, such as RFID sleeves. Or you can DIY an RFID wallet by yourself.
Besides, while these RFID wallets and other RFID blockers do provide security for your RFID credit card and other RFID cards, you can also use additional precautions. For example, make sure you go through a secure gateway when making payment, or put your wallet in your front pocket instead of your back pocket, and then be more careful about your online payment. These are small measures that can be taken to protect our information and property.
