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Reading NFC Passport Chips in Linux

(shkspr.mobi)
287 points robin_reala | 3 comments | 25 Jun 25 07:33 UTC | HN request time: 1.229s | source
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dzhiurgis ◴[25 Jun 25 09:35 UTC] No.44375315[source]▶
Hol up. So what stops you from uploading custom photo + metadata onto random chip and planting it in a fake passport?
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edent ◴[25 Jun 25 09:39 UTC] No.44375342[source]▶
The data are signed with the passport issuing authority's private key.

So you could implement a chip which reacts like an official passport. When the border guards see that the signature is invalid, you can explain how it's just a prank and you'll all have a jolly good laugh about it.

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23434dsf ◴[25 Jun 25 10:12 UTC] No.44375530[source]▶
So if I strolled through the airport with a high power NFC reader/writer, I could ruin a lot of peoples trips?
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crowbahr ◴[25 Jun 25 12:16 UTC] No.44376406[source]▶
In addition to the mechanisms people are describing here - passports have a metal mesh in them to disrupt NFC signals. It's not a full faraday cage but it works on similar principles. The passport has to be _open_ to be read from, and then only after you transmit the MRZ will you get anything.
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1. raron ◴[25 Jun 25 13:08 UTC] No.44376888[source]▶
> passports have a metal mesh in them to disrupt NFC signals

I don't think that is universally true. At least I can read my closed 2 years old passport with my phone.

replies(1): >>44377403 #
2. crowbahr ◴[25 Jun 25 13:56 UTC] No.44377403[source]▶
Hmm the American passports have the mesh afaik - I _thought_ it was part of the ICAO docs (not that that means people do it but still...)
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3. crowbahr ◴[25 Jun 25 16:51 UTC] No.44379389[source]▶
Just tested on my American passport - it will not read while closed, either from the front or the back. Opening it up - no issues reading. Seems like there is in fact a faraday mesh or something