4 ms·

I would guess most of the vendors of these types of systems are going RFID Actually this makes sense, didn't think of that way. However, comparing security is

by iamdave 14y ago

I would guess most of the vendors of these types of systems are going RFID Actually this makes sense, didn't think of that way. However, comparing security issues of credit/debit cards with student ID badges doesn't work; I'm not suggesting they don't exist, but on the whole are less likely in the setting we're looking at.

kennywinker 14y ago
I was mostly thinking of the perception of security. Everyone knows you can clone a mag-stripe card cheaply and easily. I assume you can do the same with RFIDs (and you don't even need physical access to do it, right?) but I think people assume they're safer.
objclxt 14y ago
You'd be surprised - when I was at college there was a student who was caught skimming ID cards, duplicating them, and selling them on (for access to various areas and also for payment, since our ID cards were used a declining balance cards). They switched over to RFID shortly afterwards. I'm sure this has happened at other colleges too. And whilst this sort of thing is almost certainly less common than card fraud, the potential consequences are actually far more serious. If someone skims your credit card it's inconvenient, but hopefully your bank will cover the loss. If someone skims your ID card in a college environment where ID cards typically let you into controlled areas like dormitories and labs you've got a big problem.
- iamdave 14y ago
  You'd be surprised - when I was at college there was a student who was caught skimming ID cards, duplicating them But in a high school? Not that I'm disagreeing with you; but in high school the incentive seems to be much lower to forge ID cards. Maybe I'm just crotchety about this whole thing and am projecting to find whatever reason I can to dismiss the idea of forcing tracking on kids.
  - tass 14y ago
    RFID is the future. Magnetic cards were a problem waiting to be solved. They wear out, have to be big enough to comfortably swipe, and are easy to copy. Credit cards, door locks, train tickets and anything with a magnetic swipe or barcode will eventually be replaced with RFID or similar. The tracking part, however, is optional.

by iamdave 14y ago

kennywinker 14y ago

I was mostly thinking of the perception of security. Everyone knows you can clone a mag-stripe card cheaply and easily. I assume you can do the same with RFIDs (and you don't even need physical access to do it, right?) but I think people assume they're safer.

objclxt 14y ago

You'd be surprised - when I was at college there was a student who was caught skimming ID cards, duplicating them, and selling them on (for access to various areas and also for payment, since our ID cards were used a declining balance cards). They switched over to RFID shortly afterwards. I'm sure this has happened at other colleges too. And whilst this sort of thing is almost certainly less common than card fraud, the potential consequences are actually far more serious. If someone skims your credit card it's inconvenient, but hopefully your bank will cover the loss. If someone skims your ID card in a college environment where ID cards typically let you into controlled areas like dormitories and labs you've got a big problem.

iamdave 14y ago
You'd be surprised - when I was at college there was a student who was caught skimming ID cards, duplicating them But in a high school? Not that I'm disagreeing with you; but in high school the incentive seems to be much lower to forge ID cards. Maybe I'm just crotchety about this whole thing and am projecting to find whatever reason I can to dismiss the idea of forcing tracking on kids.
- tass 14y ago
  RFID is the future. Magnetic cards were a problem waiting to be solved. They wear out, have to be big enough to comfortably swipe, and are easy to copy. Credit cards, door locks, train tickets and anything with a magnetic swipe or barcode will eventually be replaced with RFID or similar. The tracking part, however, is optional.