National ID Cards

You have probably read that the new healthcare bill includes a provision for a national ID in the US. Here is a disturbing fact about that kind of technology from the UK. Its National ID Card was hacked In 12 Minutes. I personally don't think anyone can make an unhackable ID card.

UK National ID cards are currently being used by foreign nationals who are working in the UK. The card features a built in microchip which, according to the Government, makes the ID cards ‘unforgeable’, the problem is that a hacker was able to hack the chip in under twelve minutes using just an ordinary laptop and a mobile phone.

He was able to create a cloned card, change the information on the cloned card, and add a message to the card which could be read by police officers when they scan the card, the message read, ‘I am a te**orist – shoot on site’. (my asterisks) I seem to remember that national ID cards started in Germany in the 1930s to identify all good German citizens. I don't remember if cards created a furor, or they were created by a fuhrer or both. . .