EPCglobal has ratified its UHF Generation 2 standard, i.e., the protocols for the “air interface” for negotiating between readers and tags.
According to Internetnews.com, the standard addresses some aspects of security and privacy:
In addition to improvements in security of the data on the tag, the standard includes the ability to lock the identification fields in the tag, so that they can’t be spoofed or changed without a password. It also includes a strong kill mechanism, so retailers and others have the option of automatically erasing all data from the tag as it passes through a reader.
[EPCglobal director of product management Sue] Hutchinson said that the standard does not allow for encryption, because one of the user requirements for the standard was that the tags be inexpensive. But security issues will continue to be addressed in the hardware and policy working groups.
“Privacy will be a combination of the usage of the technology with policy and business practices as well,” she said. “The policy steering committee is working to understand how to address consumer concerns.”