ITGS News

In this article Walt Augustinowicz has shown and proved many people in the public how they can be pick pocketed with out a single finger being laid upon them. They can have their credit cards, debit cards, and passports information stolen quite easily with a simply passing by of the scanner. With this advanced technology that makes paying for things easier, also makes it easier for others to pay for their things using the same card. The card number, the expiration date, the type of card, and even the person's name can be found out. This can show how the social/ethical issue involved is thus privacy - security is another possible issue. The IT system is the RFID tags/microchips. The stakeholders are the people whose information is getting stolen and the people who are stealing the information - people who make the RFID tags/microchips are also possible stakeholders. The area of impact is politics and government - but also can be business and employment. People's private information is at stake and electronic pickpockets can easily steal the information and order products.

This article talks about the security concerns related to RFID technology. RFID technology is susceptible to theft because it broadcasts radio frequencies about the information embedded in the card. This makes it very easy for thieves in possession of a card reader. A person with intent to steal information could just walk past a card carrier with a card reader and pick up the theft victim's credit card numbers, expiration dates and sometimes even the card owner's name. 20% of the card information that was stolen in an experiment has RFID chips. RFID technology increases the chance of identity theft, even passports have RFID implemented in them, this makes them very vulnerable. Passports carry very sensitive information and anyone with a RFID card scanner could wake pass a passport carrier and gain his or her personal information. The stakeholders in this issue include the card carrier or passport carrier whose security is endangered, the information thief who is gaining unauthorized access to a person's personal information and the businesses such as Visa or MasterCard whose reliability is being endangered. This is a security issue that has hampered the positive buzz surrounding RFID technology and its convenience.

Although it is still in debate over whether it negatively affects hospitals, research has shown that RFIDs have a huge chance of disrupting hospital equipment. Some scientists showed that it can shut off equipment especially equipment that patients may rely on. A few studies have proved that it does not conflict but the results are still unsure based on the conditions that both experiments were tested under. But RFIDs are safe enough to have in hospitals as long as they are far away from the equipment.

A relatively old news article, that details concerns and issues about RFID tags that remain relevant, or have become more relevant over time. The article clearly defines law enforcement agents, criminals, marketing corporations, and the average consumer as stakeholders in the development and widespread use of RFID tags. The article describes the issue of privacy and unauthorized or undetected monitoring, whether for illegal use or law enforcement or for marketing schemes as rising from the continued functionality of RFID tags after they have served their purpose -- outside of the stores and past the RFID scanners. The article mentions several concerns, including the more widespread adoption of long-range RFID scanners by non-commercial groups or people, and their ability to be used as an invasion of privacy. Evidently, the technology that makes the continued functionality of RFID tags a privacy issue is in the way that each tag, which can be as small as a few centimeters long, can store various bits of data, such as when the item was bought, where the item was bought, for what price, and who bought it, in combination with the ability to use long-range RFID scanners to scan and detect this information outside of a store.

This article talks about the security concerns that the customers of a supermarkets have with the use of RFID technology. They feel that the RFID technology is to invasive and can be used to track where abouts of items after they have been purchased at the store.

RFID is a very valuable and new technology, that promises to bring many advantages to the business world, which is the main area of impact being addressed. RFID is the IT being discussed. It permits people to gain access to goods, data on products, and important financial data. There is, however, the concern over the issue of security and privacy, which go hand in hand. Stakeholders in the issue are normal people, who increasingly are surrounded by RFID tags, especially in their credit cards. Tags can also be used to track a person's movement, which some claim is an invasion of privacy. Defenders claim that most RFID tags are incapable of being read or trasmit data from up to 50 cm. However, this does depend on the tag's antenna and the encryption it may or may not use to protect its data. There is the continual concern however, that RFID tags will handle more sensitive data as its capabilities improve. The fact that RFID tags store information on databases is also a concern for privacy advocates. An RFID tag uploads onto the database information on financial transactions, buying, selling, etc. The location, time, and other information is stored on a log in the database. The RFID is essentially tracking users' movement. The security concern, which is more consequential to users, is what is done when the database that contains all the sensitive information is hacked or damaged, and security is breached. Such concerns and these issues' impacts are obviously paramount when dealing with RFID tags and the issues of privacy and security.

In this article, RFID is being used in the business world. People are now able to purchase phones with the capability of making purchases by moving it over the terminal. RFID technology allows people to stop using credit cards, making the process of buying something even more convenient. The stakeholders are the credit card companies, the people using this new technology, and the stores with the terminals that read RFID. Credit card companies need to have a good security system to ensure their customers and users that their information will be kept safe on the RFID chip. The people who are switching to this new technology are risking their private information for convenience. The stores with these new RFID terminals are also risking their customers' private information because there is a possibility that their system could be hacked. The area of impact is Business and Employment. Businesses are switching to this new technology because it is convenient for them as well as their customers. The main issues that arise from using RFID are security and reliability. The RFID terminal needs to be reliable so that every customer is able to use the RFID chip on their phone to make purchases. The security issue is that a hacker may be able to get into the system to read customers' private information. It may also be possible for a hacker to carry around a portable terminal that would be able to store people's private information on it for future usage. The security system described in this article sounds like a good start, but more needs to be done to keep up with the technology that is growing along with it.

RFID is a technology which can create many new possibilities, as well as build upon existing ones. The technology can be applied to a variety of scenarios, but concerns rise due to problems with privacy and lack of security as it has been proven that viruses can be stored on the small 128 character capacity of the RFID chip. These viruses can be used to exploit whatever it is that the technology is implemented in. This could potentially cause problems such as some tags not getting scanned, or even all tags not getting scanned. The risk increases in other scenarios such as airports, where RFID technology could be very useful for streamlining and organizing the baggage transport process, but a single virus and the whole thing would be disrupted. Just as with computers, I'm sure that people will eventually figure out a way to protect from RFID-bound viruses to implement them for great purposes.

At the NHS in England, hospitals are using these new "IT programme" telling them to start labeling their patients. In 2006 approximately 25,000 patients were saying that they they weren't given the right treatment. These were cases due to the misreading of the patient's tags, papers and other identification papers.(These misreadings were due to the legibility of the handwriting. Then the idea of barcodes and RFID were introduced this February by the UK healthcare manager, Roger Lamb who is now using this NHS 10 digit patient ID number and RFID tags which will modernize the NHS hospital in England. RFID's will be upon their wristband which will contain all their personal records (there will also be a photograph if the patient is unable to speak). This can only be accessed by the doctors from his/her PDA. 2.4_health 3.1_hardware: RFID and 10 digit barcodes 3.7_databases: that holds patient's records (Keep in mind this article was written in 2007.)

This article discusses the issue of individual security and invasion of ones privacy through the use of RFID tags. With RFID tags on almost ever retail item, customers who are main stake holders, are questioning the motives of these tracking codes. A major item that is being tracked is a DVD from when it is first put into its cover and sent to the store, till the costumer purchases it. However the question remains, What is the purpose of this? Is it necessary to track how the costumer uses the items that they buy? Other stake holders include the large business corporations such as Walmart, who use these RFID codes to profit from studying the purchases and trends in other stores and areas. Additionally another stakeholder that is seen as a threat is the government who may eventually be able to spy or track down individuals based on these RFID codes on the items that they purchase. This issue relates to business and employment because companies are able to economically profit through this even though the individual privacy remains a threat. These RFID tags allow businesses to profit because they can use the codes to efficiently organize the purchasing of stock and selling of items. The RFID can be considered a network that allows the hardware which is the actual code to work. Without the network tracking and creating the code, the device is unable to function. Although the customer is able to open the wrapper such as in the case of buying a DVD and throw it away, the thought still remains of what will happen in the future with these tags? There is constant dispute and consideration on how the alternate user who is the customer that purchases these items, may become a victim of privacy invasion.

Discussion about the agreement to integrate the new process of product tracking in company supply chains (RFID technology), continues to widely expand and challenge the business mentality as it has become reinforced by major companies such as Wal Mart and the Defense Department. A dispute transpired between two alliance companies, Symbol (a leader in bar code systems) and Intermec, as both were unable to consider possessing concurrence upon licensing proposals for RFID technology usefulness. Initially, Intermec Technologies, accused Symbol of infringement transgressions in regards to six Intermec patents that were being sold by Symbol; such products included the utilization of RFID technology, an investment that was supported upon by both business partnerships. Such accusations had been followed after Symbol had also charged Intermec for infringing patents including Wi-Fi technology. The issue of integrity as well as reliability resurfaces in this particular case, directly conveying the disadvantages of business collaboration, that must embed mutuality in justly managing shared information, equality of confidentiality and a clear understanding about each businesses' ideas and plans for profit purposes. It is significant to have fluidity in exchanging perspectives, in order to establish a solid foundation of trust that stands as a promise to future investments and processes.

It would seem like a great idea to be able to see patient's medical records on the spot, clearly and accurately. However, RFID's should not be the technology used to do so. Some patients have had RFIDs implanted into their skin for doctors to scan but in rats, no less humans, there have been cases where links between the use of RFIDS under the skin and cancer has been linked together. Many people would know about this, especially if they were to have the procedure done but this isnt the problem. Companies using the technology are practicing it on those who cannot protect themselves from its  harm. Patients who have Alzheimer disease are commonly practiced on. The question that poses from this is what and will the government do anything to stop these companies, why was it approved of and is it worth the medical advantages?

This article strikes the seam that privacy is invaded by those who buy things in stores that are tracked by RFID tags. There are many times that people actually were tracked, two cases in fact, and thus their privacy was breached by the store itself. The group Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering are currently fighting against this so that they make sure that the people have the rights that they deserve, but many stores refuse to bow down.

This articles shows the conventional uses of RFID, and you me personally the fears of doing using such technologies. This article tells the reader that in the latest new york city marathon, the people watching wanted to track certain runners(stakeholder). So for the race each runner placed an RFID tag (Hardware 3.1) on the shoes, and on the track (set intervals) sensors would pick up these RFID tags and record the information to each individual runner. To obtain this information one would need an Iphone and 4 dollars to pay for an app that can give you up to date information. There was an issue of reliability present from the perspectives of the cell companies(AT&T). That issue was reliability, to overcome this issue they put temporary cell tower around the track. While no major issue was sparked, I was scared of what it could potentially do. This may do into the realm of sci-fi but my own issue would be survaillence, what if one day everyone was forced to where one of these, there will be these seners at every door or entry way tracking our every move(1984-George Orwell Big brother). Maybe we will have less crime since everything is monatered, but we will lose all privacy. It may be an exaggerated case but not impossible. In reality I can see it being place in our passports, ensuring more security at our flights, but what are we losing

In airports nationally and internationally, flyers have to stand in line to wait to check in. The process is anything but welcoming for those who are running late, dislike crowds, and are just simply impatient. The process is just has grueling for the workers who have to deal witht the annoyed customers day after day. Luckily, the ticket kiosks have made the check in time shorter, being great for those who have no luggage to check in, but still just a part of the process for those who do. With RFID tags, the check in process isn't as dreadful. Companies are now begining to use reusable RFID tags that can track up to four flights at a time for each luggage, and can be programmed to track upcoming flights. This technology reduces the check in time, and increases effciency as the luggage is already associated with the flyer, and it's location is known at all times. Lost luggage can be found easier, and the manual labor needed for check in is cut down. There is also less paper being used, since the RFID tags only involve electronic mediums. For both the flyer and the company, the RFID tags can be a bright future. However, with more and more ways to eliminate time and human error, it is possible that the jobs of the people at the check in will be reduced. This seems to be a problem with many technologies, but this is the way in which our future is going. But, even though technology seems to be super efficient and a lot better than humans, it has it's flaws. RFID tags are read by radio rignals. If the tags are broken, or placed in an area where the radio signals cannot reach, then the tags are useless. There also needs to be new technology that allows airline companies to begin to use the tags, which may be costly. Another major issue is that in order to increase efficiency, all of the customers must be on board. There is no guarantee that this will happen any time soon, or that all of the airline companies will wish to use the technolgy.

This was a rather long but interesting article to read regarding RFID. It starts out by stating what RFID is and how it is being planned on being introduced across many stores. What made this article informative was that it discussed not only the first thing that comes to mind when we hear this, privacy and security, but also possible health and environmental issues. Security was a big issue discussed. Concerns that came up was who would manage the information picked up by RFID's? Can this be used to track people? Can personal items or documents integrated with RFID track a specific person? Would they know? To what extent does this violate privacy? Are there laws to prevent any form of privacy violation? The article also stated people might have a choice whether or not to use the RFID and what would be the other option. Another issue stated was a health issue. Since this uses radio frequency waves, can this pose any damage to lets say tissue cells? The hypothesis was that no because it uses different kinds of waves than other technologies. However, this technology is too early in its stage to know for sure. Another concern was the disposal of this technology. What effect would it have on the environment. Again, it was too early to determine for sure.

In this article it talks about the idea of putting RFID, or Radio Frequency Identification technology into a credit card. This can be both a good thing and a bad thing. It would be a good thing because it would totally change the way a business could work. It would decrease the amount of time a person spends in a store. A person could simply walk in and out of the supermarket with the items they wanted and the amount of money would be charged directly to the persons credit card. However, this could result in an increase in credit card abuse. with RFID technology the signal could be picked up by any radio frequency. This can result in identity theft, and credit card fraud. This is a a violation of the social and ethical issue Security. The stakeholders in this situation would be the credit card users, and the companies issuing the credit card. The users would become angered that their credit cards could be maxed out without them using it more than once and the companies could be sued for each credit card they issued.

Now, touch screen smart phones for the blind.