Author(s)

H. B. Wolfe

Abstract

In the 1976 movie Marathon Man the term \“Is it Safe” is used to great effect. This presentation is about some of the many security measures that we implement and expect to protect us. Many are hyped as protecting us completely from a given threat. The simple facts do not support these assertions. This paper will ask the question \“Is it Safe” and address and describe the many failures and/or limitations of various accepted security measures. For example, RFID has become the darling of many who would use this technology to \“secure” whatever is to be protected. Several countries have implemented RFID within their passport systems. All have shown to be easily cloned from a distance. Those that have used encryption to protect information contained on the RFID have also been shown to have used weak encryption. Some of these have been broken within a few seconds to a few minutes. Every day organizations decide to make use of some of the many security measures currently in the market place assuming that they will be safe as a result. It is not apparent that they are aware of the failings and limitations of many of these measures and techniques. This paper will discuss and describe several of these limited techniques, showing how each has been compromised. Thinking that you are safe when you are in fact not presents an important risk. Keywords: data encryption, mobile phones, RFID, biometrics, compromise.

Keywords

data encryption, mobile phones, RFID, biometrics, compromise