Split session: At the Internet’s edge

RFID: IP Network Applications and Societal Implications

I am always interested in RFIDs. From 7th graders school ID cards to shipments of sugar, RFIDs are everywhere. Those touch-not-swipe-badges are RFIDs as are the no-contact credit cards. Those injected tags in my dogs and cats are RFIDs.

One way to understand RFIDs is to think about them as barcodes. However a better phrase which was repeated throughout this presentation is much more catchy and prognostic:

RFIDs Are An Internet Of Things.

RFID security, historical use and standards were all covered. Looking again to the future of RFID, the presenter made clear that RFIDs are IP ready.

Privacy advocates, logistics buffs and people with swipy-badges should all lookout: here come the RFIDs.

Wireless Security Best Practice Guidelines

An advocate for WPA2 but willing to discuss ordinary WEP (a disparager of damaging hackers), this presenter gave a talk loaded with information which centered around several point:

    Wireless is frequency based and frequencies can be intercepted by a “man in the middle”.
    Miscreants have a motivation to force their way onto your network.
    Good security stops miscreants from faking their way onto a network or forcing another user onto their network.

Some emergent technologies will be able to identify malicious and simply anomalous intrusions onto LAN networks (see presentation on the wiki).

From me but on topic: the hotel network is not secure. If you check company email your information is be sharing the airwaves with the kitchen’s microwave or your Syster’s PDA. There may be people who want to see your information. I will be changing my passwords early and often because I still want to check my email and blog here–I am accepting some identifiable risk.

Inspirational Quote:

“We’re at unique point in history where the things that we are building are going to significantly impact our social, political, economical, and personal lives.Anita Borg

Jessica Dickinson Goodman

Official GHC 2007 Blogger
You may comment on this blog by visiting the GHC (Grace Hopper Conference) Forum.

Get in touch