Do you know how RFID wallets work and how to create one?
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- Issue Time
- Jul 24,2023
Summary
The things you must need to know about RFID wallet.
Buying new wallets everywhere? Then you must encounter a wallet that boasts embedded RFID blocking technology.
RFID technology is a relatively new concept in the market, and this article will help you understand what it is and how to create your own RFID wallet.
Firstly, let's introduce you to the RFID and credit cards that use them.
What is RFID?
Radio frequency identification or RFID is a new technology that utilizes electromagnetic fields to track and identify objects with tags.
RFID systems basically have two components, namely tags and readers. The label can be passive or battery powered. The information is encoded on the label and read using a reader, which consists of two radio transmitters receivers. Passive tags use the wireless wave energy of the reader to relay information to the reader, while battery powered tags use battery power. After the information from the tag is decoded/read by the reader, it is fed back to the RFID computer system.
RFID system
This technology is applied in many fields, including military, commercial aircraft, car keyless entry, electronic tags, passports, laptops, mobile phones, mobile phones, and credit cards
However, it is now widely used in credit cards, enabling them to make Contactless payment; All you need to do is touch the scanner with the card, without inserting or swiping the card to the terminal.
You can easily identify whether the new credit card supports RFID.
RFID enabled cards have the following functions:
Symbols for WiFi types
RFID Creatit Card
There is a small and protruding rectangular chip in front of the card.
You may get a card with a rectangular chip, but that doesn't necessarily mean it supports RFID. Also look for symbols.
The chip here adds an additional security layer to the card, known as the EMV (Europay Mastercard Visa) chip.
How does RFID chip work?
RFID chips are manufactured very small because they do not require any power supply. It requires RFID tags to work. RFID tags include antennas and chips. This label needs to be in contact with the RFID reader in order to work.
When using an RFID credit card, if in contact with an RFID reader, you can access the card's detailed information, such as name, card number, etc. However, the label must maintain a specified distance from the RFID reader. The distance depends on factors such as power, frequency, and antenna size.
Due to this making cards vulnerable to abuse, credit card companies take various measures to ensure that they are protected from hackers and criminals. However, if you are skeptical about security, you can always inquire with the bank IC about cards without RFID. In addition, covering the RFID card with foil is a reliable way to block wireless signals, or you can remove the chip yourself.
However, in terms of daily use, these methods do not seem to be practical.
Nowadays, there is another way to ensure the security of your RFID credit card. Wallets that can block these RFID signals are now available on the market.
Although RFID credit cards provide you with the advantage of saving time during checkout, payment is convenient and does not require payment, but there are indeed drawbacks.
Hackers and criminals use RFID skimmers to access your credit card. What they do is use illegal RFID readers from a long distance to scan and download all the information in the card. This form of digital theft is called RFID skimming. Use the information of these hackers/thieves to copy your card and leave a zero balance in your account.
Since RFID is just an electromagnetic wave, blocking it is very easy. Finding RFID blocking wallets is your best choice.
What is RFID blocking a wallet?
These wallets look like regular wallets, but they have built-in RFID protection. A Faraday cage is formed around the wallet, which is just a shell to block electromagnetic signals. For this reason, a typical leather wallet uses a piece of metal on both sides of the card. Some cards are made entirely of metal and are themselves Faraday cage.
You can purchase a new wallet with RFID blocking function, or you can create one yourself.