On Sat, May 06, 2006 at 10:17:37PM +1200, Jinx wrote:
> > A microchip with an embedded public key encryption system
> > will be something that will requiere thousands of dollars of
> > decapping and probing tools. Sure it'll be hackable, but not
> > cheaply. And that's with technology already availble right now,
> > just wait a few years.
> 
> People-smuggling is worth billions. They'll have the money or
> muscle to get it done. And although the technology might be
> fine, there's always the human element. Look at the prostitution
> trade. Those running it could care less about what happens to
> the paperless smugglees. And how about taking the chip out of
> someone else, dead or alive ? Bribery (especially in those countries
> with a reputation for it) ? Inside jobs ? You may say my thinking
> is naive, but when money is involved I don't put anything past
> anybody

Well of course, but as you say, at that level it's better to just use
social hacking, pay off the people giving out the chips in the first
place.

My point is that the problem is people who need to crack the ID system
for "legit" purposes, for instance to oppose the current government,
won't be able to because it's technologically secure. Those who can go
about it through bribery and what not are probably already pretty
aligned with at least elements of the government anyway. The
prostitution trade benifits lots of government types for those reasons.

Net result, more corruption, those with the money make the rules etc.


One quibble... Taking the chip out of someone else will probably be
quite hard. If I were implementing such a system the database would
include a lot of biometrics, photo, fingerprint, instantly popping up on
the scanners screen... You'd need to still bribe or hack into the
database storing all of this anyway.

> Personally I can't see people-chipping anytime soon. It would
> be a very brave and foolish govt who thought they could enforce
> it, and the civil rights organisations would have a field day. Or
> rather, field years in the courts

Definetely, I hope...

-- 
pete@petertodd.ca http://www.petertodd.ca
-- 
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist