RFID Protection - EPassport Slip Covers

Although the easiest way to avoid data theft or tracking by unknown or unauthorized parties via your passport or microchipped ID would be, according to a Wired article by Jenna Wortham, a hammer or blunt object given that a crushed and thus 'malfunctioning' microchip does not invalidate the passport, there is the little issue of avoiding any evidence of tampering which could earn you 25 years in prison under American law. On the other hand, this method could work for all other instances of the chips which are not in violation of Federal law.

With the biometric data which will be on record for all visas - visitors, transfers, work and more - going completely live around the world in the most traveled countries by the end of 2007 (reported by MigrationExpert.com), we need to address our privacy. Due to the desire to avoid all border control harassment while also protecting your privacy, and thanks to the 2005 protest of Richard Stallman (photo 1) at WSIS, I was given the idea of an ePassport slip cover which would protect our radio waves from being read by anyone unless we specifically desired for them to do so. You don't need to have done well in Home Economics class to make this work, although it will help win you points for personal style.

Mr. Stallman agreed to field my questions and help formulate a project which will block the RFID transmissions, and the premise is based off basic electromagnetics. "Any conductor should block radio waves. Also, you can have holes in the conductor as long as they are small compared with the wavelength. With holes, the waves are not perfectly blocked, but the fraction that gets through can be pretty small," said Richard regarding the initial project idea. He added, "Any metal cover will prevent it from transmitting. The main question is how to make something durable."

The design started to take shape with all sorts of ideas for durability.

"I think one layer of aluminum foil is enough to prevent the transmissions. Two layers does prevent a Boston subway's CharlieCard from communicating with the machines for entering," Richard said, so I set out to find the best way to sandwich tin foil together without having too much noise to deal with.

Selection and Preparation

Please see this slideshow for images below: ePassport Slideshow

a. Select a durable material for the cover itself. This can be anything, although I suggest a thick material that will not snag on things you carry in your bags, pockets, etc. It need to be able to make up for the fragility of tin foil. I selected a thick material (photo 2) which is woven and slick so the chance of punctures are greatly reduced. This can be a pain to work with, but it gets the job done.

b. For my thread I opted for embroidery floss (pulled into 3 strands from the standard 6) due to its durability and sheen which matches my material.

c. I am using standard, household tin foil. As Richard has stated earlier, however, any conductor will do so if you have something else in mind, give a try and test it afterwards.

d. I will be testing the durability of cardboard in my cover as the edges of plastic notebook dividers, containers, and others have cut through the tin foil despite rounded edges. Cardboard has more 'give' to it.

Construction
Please see this slideshow for images below: ePassport Slideshow

a. Begin by measuring out your passport (or several passports as needs may call for), and make room for as little sewing through any tin foil as that will create weaknesses. In my diagram (photo 3 and 4) you can begin to see how this works. Panels A and B will fold together to create one side of the pocket, while panels C and D will fold together for the other side. The panels E and F create a flap over the top. The fold between panels B and C should not need to be sewn through, thus the tin foil can have one continuous wrap with the sewing at the top done to create the pocket without breaking the integrity of the foil. I used four layers of foil to ensure that if there was any holes from use it would take quite a bit of time or abuse to break through all four.

b. Before you begin to sew, get your cardboard panels out or, if you'd rather, use only one panel that has been bent in the middle. Should you choose the one-panel option, make sure that there are no rough edges or that it cannot sit flat. The less tension you can make on the tin foil, the better. I sandwiched the cardboard between four sheets of tin foil and finally the material (photo 5). Make sure, before you start cutting, that everything is to length and allowing for all materials. The cardboard should cover the panels B and C. The tin foil should cover all panels in two layers before you fold them.

c. Once you have everything cut out to length, fold panel A with the two layers of foil over the cardboard resting in panel B. Sew only the bottom and top, but you may wish to take a leftover piece of material to sew into the end of panel B where it connects to C to protect the tin foil (the yellow strip in photo 6, dotted line is the fold). For the sake of the tin foil, only sew the top and bottom of these panels, not the sides. For ease of sewing, I suggest stitching from the corner of panels B, C and E, working out to the fold between panels A and B. Cut string, move to top fold where panels A and B meet, working inward.

d. Next, fold panel D over C, and F over E. Continue your stitch from above across the connection between C and D. Cut string at the end.

e. At the end of panels E and F, begin your stitch. For asthetic reasons I stitched on all three sides of the flap like so: At the junction of panels C/D and E/F, begin a stitch on the fold which you will carry around the outside of panels E and F until you reach the juntion of your first stitch. At this point you may care (for asthetic reasons) to fold panel F in on itself and stitch it down. This, however, is completely optional. I use it to hold other ID cards such as driver's licenses other documents I may need on my trip.

Final Thoughts

"However, smashing the chip with a hammer would more reliably prevent it from transmitting," was Richard's final thoughts on the matter. He, like many others around the world, are not simply backing down and allowing their civil rights to be taken from them.

In part four, we'll be covering the DIRFwear product line that not only promises security and has demos on the company website to prove it, but has also passed my normal wear-and-tear as well as frequency tests. The best part? The line is also reasonably priced for all travelers - be them in America or abroad.