Members knashville Posted March 19, 2015 Members Report Posted March 19, 2015 So I've seen many websites offer leather wallets that protect against RFID, I've even seen Kickstarter projects offer RFID blocking wallets. However, I've never been able to find an actual solution. I even checked the search box here and didn't really come up with anything other then some wire mesh. I figure that now that this stuff is becoming more and more popular maybe someone will know something more? I'd love to be able to prevent my credit card from being wirelessly skimmed while it's in my wallet. Cheers, Knash Quote
Thor Posted March 19, 2015 Report Posted March 19, 2015 RFID information can be found on any spy prevention page. Even intelligence services pages offer information. Bottom line is simple. The person has to get pretty close to you to read the RFID chip. About 1.5 m or 5'. The most simple solution is aluminum foil. Not the household grade! Tons of information on it https://www.google.de/search?q=rfid+blocking+aluminum+wallet&oq=RFID+blocking+al&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l5.8937j0j7&client=ubuntu&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8&gfe_rd=cr&ei=DngKVZD4Jou2-Qbh2IDICA The question to ask is, do I need the RFID and can I disable it? How that's being done can also be found with the above link. If you really want to screw with it you could build a RFID scrambler/jammer, what ever they are called. They are also available on the market. Quote
Members Spence Posted March 19, 2015 Members Report Posted March 19, 2015 Sandwich aluminum foil between layers of leather and that will do it. Some use a copper mesh that is available at Hobby Lobby. I haven't found any yet. Quote Spence Mendoza, TX, USA
Northmount Posted March 20, 2015 Report Posted March 20, 2015 There is a type of aluminum foil used for sealing joints in furnace and other ducting. It comes with self-stick glue and tear off strip. Typically 2" wide rolls. So could easily be used to line pockets. Tom Quote
Members Windrider30 Posted March 20, 2015 Members Report Posted March 20, 2015 line the pocket with either copper mesh or aluminium foil either will work. Quote
Members TheCyberwolfe Posted March 24, 2015 Members Report Posted March 24, 2015 I'm a paranoid IT guy who also happens to have a degree in Electronics with an emphasis on radio (my primary instructor was a radar man.) With Euro-style chip-and-PIN cards coming to the States, this is a big question in a number of places. There were a couple of shops that sold small batches at one point, but they have gone by the wayside. What you have available now is a lined Tyvek product that comes as a sleeve for individual cards, or you can buy several different grades of RFID-blocking material by the yard just like fabric at Joanne's. The way I would do it is to buy the fabric and cut out a piece just smaller than the wallet back, glue it to that, and then line it with another leather,. This will protect your cards when the wallet is closed in your pocket without the headache of trying to line the individual pockets. (I purchased a commercial RFID-proof wallet a while back, and this is how it is constructed.) Failing the fabric, two layers of heavy kitchen foil will do the trick but you may get some unwanted wrinkly noises as you open and close the wallet, depending on your glue methods. (That commercial wallet I mentioned does this - that's what led me to testing just heavy kitchen foil.) Your mileage, of course, may vary. i did my testing with a common brand of ID badge at a couple of locations where the building has restricted access. (My clients are paranoid too.) Quote -- I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute! www.rogueleather.com
Members bkm Posted March 26, 2015 Members Report Posted March 26, 2015 Who cares? The card holder is not responsible for unauthorized charges. To be sure, RFID is not as popular for credit cards as smartcard (chip-and-pin) or the plain magnetic stripe. Smartcards are not vulnerable to RFID exploits since they don't use RFID, and the card does not divulge the PIN. Smartcards are fairly secure in relative terms to magnetic stripes or RFID, but that security primarily benefits merchants and the card issuers. Smartcards are valuable for preventing loss in relation to data breaches like those at Target and Home Depot, but for individual card holders, they don't offer much benefit. RFID is more popular for low-security building access cards. But building access control should be augmented with more than RFID cards. If card issuers want the cards more secured, it will be on them to provide the means for that security. Quote
Members knashville Posted March 26, 2015 Author Members Report Posted March 26, 2015 There is a type of aluminum foil used for sealing joints in furnace and other ducting. It comes with self-stick glue and tear off strip. Typically 2" wide rolls. So could easily be used to line pockets. Tom Where can one get a hold of this stuff? I'm a paranoid IT guy who also happens to have a degree in Electronics with an emphasis on radio (my primary instructor was a radar man.) With Euro-style chip-and-PIN cards coming to the States, this is a big question in a number of places. There were a couple of shops that sold small batches at one point, but they have gone by the wayside. What you have available now is a lined Tyvek product that comes as a sleeve for individual cards, or you can buy several different grades of RFID-blocking material by the yard just like fabric at Joanne's. The way I would do it is to buy the fabric and cut out a piece just smaller than the wallet back, glue it to that, and then line it with another leather,. This will protect your cards when the wallet is closed in your pocket without the headache of trying to line the individual pockets. (I purchased a commercial RFID-proof wallet a while back, and this is how it is constructed.) Failing the fabric, two layers of heavy kitchen foil will do the trick but you may get some unwanted wrinkly noises as you open and close the wallet, depending on your glue methods. (That commercial wallet Imentioned does this - that's what led me to testing just heavy kitchen foil.) Your mileage, of course, may vary. i did my testing with a common brand of ID badge at a couple of locations where the building has restricted access. (My clients are paranoid too.) Where can one get a hold of this stuff? Quote
Northmount Posted March 26, 2015 Report Posted March 26, 2015 Where can one get a hold of this stuff? http://www.amazon.com/Duck-240225-Repair-Aluminum-1-88-Inch/dp/B0000DI82JThere are various types/manufactures. Search aluminum foil tape Tom Quote
Members TheCyberwolfe Posted March 26, 2015 Members Report Posted March 26, 2015 these guys have a wide range of fabrics to choose from with different properties. http://www.lessemf.com/fabric.html Quote -- I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute! www.rogueleather.com
Members stangman645 Posted October 8, 2015 Members Report Posted October 8, 2015 Would the foil or copper tape sold in home depot work for this? Quote
Moderator Art Posted October 9, 2015 Moderator Report Posted October 9, 2015 Would the foil or copper tape sold in home depot work for this? Probably. I prefer tape used for shielding electric guitars. $10 worth is enough for a dozen wallets. Art Quote For heaven's sakes pilgrim, make yourself a strop!
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