A magnetic strip can be erased by exposure to a strong magnetic field. It is similar to magnetic recording tape, such as that used in audio or video cassette tape recorders, and is also similar to the recording media used in floppy disks. Moving a strong permanent magnet next to it might be sufficient to erase it, but a more effective method probably would be to use an AC powered bulk tape eraser, such as those sold in electronics stores for erasing VHS video tapes.
RFID chips work differently. They are integrated circuits designed to act like little radio transmitters that transmit digitally encoded identifying information whenever they receive a certain kind of interrogation signal transmitted by an external RFID scanning device. It is true that a microwave oven is likely to quickly disable an RFID chip (or, for that matter, any other electronic device) that you cook in it, but there is also a hazard that the RFID chip could quickly become very hot while you're cooking it and might melt or burn the product in which it is embedded. You might destroy more than you intend with this method. With either a magnetic strip or an RFID, it is difficult to determine whether or not an attempt to erase or disable the thing has succeeded unless you have access to an appropriate reader or scanning device. Rod -----Original Message----- >From: Linda Palit <lkpa...@sbcglobal.net> >Sent: Sep 1, 2009 1:18 PM >To: 'Mixon Bill' <bmixon...@austin.rr.com>, 'Cavers Texas' ><texascavers@texascavers.com> >Subject: RE: [Texascavers] Big Brother > >Microwave disables the strip? Or was it the freezer? >Passports have them too, at least the new ones do. > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Mixon Bill [mailto:bmixon...@austin.rr.com] >Sent: Tuesday, September 01, 2009 12:07 PM >To: Cavers Texas >Subject: [Texascavers] Big Brother > >Nobody has mentioned that we've had to give a thumbprint to get a >Texas driver's licence for at least ten years now. What the hell does >a thumbprint have to do with a driver's license, you may well ask. >Well, my understanding it that it was a federal mandate having >something to do with tracking down deadbeat dads who haven't been >paying child support. The magnetic strip on my current driver's >license probably won't work, because I've made a point of trying to >erase it, without any way to tell for sure that I have. Not that it >can be read remotely, but if anybody ever wants to scan it, I probably >won't be in a very cooperative mood. Nobody ever scanned the last one >I had. > >Of course, with the new driver's licenses we're supposed to be getting >soon, there will be a lot more irrelevant stuff on them. Probably >there will be some easy trick to disable the RFI chip in the new >licenses--something more subtle than drilling a hole through it. > >Of course, the more paranoid among us will never, ever use a tollway >pass....-- Mixon >---------------------------------------- >A fearless man cannot be brave. >---------------------------------------- >You may "reply" to the address this message >came from, but for long-term use, save: >Personal: bmi...@alumni.uchicago.edu >AMCS: edi...@amcs-pubs.org or sa...@amcs-pubs.org > > > > > > > > > > > > >--------------------------------------------------------------------- >Visit our website: http://texascavers.com >To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com >For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com > > >--------------------------------------------------------------------- >Visit our website: http://texascavers.com >To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com >For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com > --------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
