Editing Radio-frequency identification (section)

===Shielding===
{{Further|Aluminium foil#Electromagnetic shielding}}
In an effort to prevent the passive "skimming" of RFID-enabled cards or passports, the U.S. [[General Services Administration]] (GSA) issued a set of test procedures for evaluating electromagnetically opaque sleeves.<ref>{{cite web|title = Electromagnetically Opaque Sleeve Test Procedure version 3.0.0|publisher = GSA|url = https://s3.amazonaws.com/sitesusa/wp-content/uploads/sites/1171/2017/01/GSA_EP_Electromagnetic_v13.1.pdf}}</ref> For shielding products to be in compliance with FIPS-201 guidelines, they must meet or exceed this published standard; compliant products are listed on the website of the U.S. CIO's FIPS-201 Evaluation Program.<ref>{{cite web|title = FIPS 201 Evaluation Program Approved Products List (APL)|publisher = U.S. CIO and the Federal CIO Councils|url = http://www.idmanagement.gov/approved-products-list}}</ref> The United States government requires that when new ID cards are issued, they must be delivered with an approved shielding sleeve or holder.<ref>{{cite web|title = FIPS-201, Personal Identity Verification (PIV) of Federal Employees and Contractors|publisher = [[NIST]]|url = http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/fips/fips201-1/FIPS-201-1-chng1.pdf|access-date = 2019-01-10|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101226075308/http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/fips/fips201-1/FIPS-201-1-chng1.pdf|archive-date = 2010-12-26}}</ref> Although many wallets and passport holders are advertised to protect personal information, there is little evidence that RFID skimming is a serious threat; data encryption and use of [[EMV]] chips rather than RFID makes this sort of theft rare.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://slate.com/human-interest/2015/08/credit-cards-passports-and-rfid-fraud-are-special-blocking-wallets-necessary.html|title=Do You Really Need an RFID-Blocking Wallet?|last=Oremus|first=Will|date=2015-08-25|website=Slate Magazine|language=en|access-date=2019-11-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2017/07/04/535518514/there-are-plenty-of-rfid-blocking-products-but-do-you-need-them|title=There Are Plenty Of RFID-Blocking Products, But Do You Need Them?|website=NPR.org|language=en|access-date=2019-11-10}}</ref>

There are contradictory opinions as to whether aluminum can prevent reading of RFID chips. Some people claim that aluminum shielding, essentially creating a [[Faraday cage]], does work.<ref>{{cite web|title = Can Aluminum Shield RFID Chips?|publisher = RFID Shield|url = http://www.rfid-shield.com/info_doesitwork.php|access-date = 2007-03-27|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140330050519/http://www.rfid-shield.com/info_doesitwork.php|archive-date = 2014-03-30}}</ref> Others claim that simply wrapping an RFID card in aluminum foil only makes transmission more difficult and is not completely effective at preventing it.<ref>{{cite web|title = Aluminum Foil Does Not Stop RFID|publisher = Omniscience is Bliss|url = http://www.omniscienceisbliss.org/rfid.html}}</ref>

Shielding effectiveness depends on the frequency being used. [[Low frequency|Low-frequency]] LowFID tags, like those used in implantable devices for humans and pets, are relatively resistant to shielding, although thick metal foil will prevent most reads. [[High frequency]] HighFID tags (13.56&nbsp;MHz—[[smart card]]s and access badges) are sensitive to shielding and are difficult to read when within a few centimetres of a metal surface. [[Ultra high frequency|UHF]] Ultra-HighFID tags (pallets and cartons) are difficult to read when placed within a few millimetres of a metal surface, although their read range is actually increased when they are spaced 2–4&nbsp;cm from a metal surface due to positive reinforcement of the reflected wave and the incident wave at the tag.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.falkensecurenetworks.com/PDFs/A_Primer_on_RFID.pdf|title=A Primer on RFID}}</ref>

[[Image:Stoprfid-logo.svg|thumb|Logo of the anti-RFID campaign by German privacy group [[digitalcourage]] (formerly FoeBuD)]]