User:Fluffybenjoshua/NFC RISKS AND REWARDS

Project One: Near Field Communication, Risks and Rewards.

Ben Joshua Cruz

IT 104-006

George Mason University

2/15/18

GMU Honor Code Statement

When we were children we thought of the impossible. Technological advancements that were not only captivating but almost impossible. Things like self-driving cars, video calling and wireless communication between devices, in the modern age today these outlandish things are not only possible but common. This year there are over 4 million self-driving cars, over a billion devices enables with video call, and almost 2 billion devices enabled with wireless communication between devices. To focus in on a certain topic Near-Field Communication or NFC is a set of protocols that enable devices to communicate with each other wirelessly in short distances. This technology most commonly found in cell phones and allow the user to do certain tasks with just a tap, but with great technological advancements comes great problems. In this paper I will be discussing a few things: What NFC is and what it is used for, its legal implications, social problems, security risks and ethical questions that arise when it is used, it is important to discuss what can come from this technology to better prepare ourselves for the future.

Now before we get ahead of ourselves I think it is important to start from the beginning. As previously stated Near- Field Communication or NFC is used to interact with two different devices without the use of a cable. According to NearfieldCommunication.org the technology was initially started in a forum. Founded in 2004 in collaboration with Sony, Nokia and Philips, a forum was established to set standards for the upcoming development of the new NFC technology and it lead a way to make it easier to have more compatible devices. According to the website “compatibility is the key to growth of NFC technology.” (nearfieldcommunication.ord). Although the forum was established in 2004 the group did not officially release an official specification sheet until large 2006 for NFC. This important spec sheet is used to specify the compatibility in NFC tag devices. According to Nathan Chandler a writer for HowStuffworks.com NFC tags are “small programmable electronic devices that store just about any information that can be read with another NFC compatible device” ( Chandler,1) The device releases a short signal that can be read by a compatible device ,These tags can have multiple uses, some common uses include sending files, reading menus, and paying for items. Although NFC is not new, the technology behind it is fundamentally not that different from another wireless technology. NFC is similar to RFID only NFC is used in a much closer environment. NFC has a maximum range of only 4 inches while RFID can for much longer. Other popular uses for NFC enabled devices include electronic wallet, electronic ticket and contact sharing.

With the increase in the use of NFC technology there are many legal, ethical and social questions that go along with it. The some major problems that arise when using NFC technology as our form of payment would be the fact that we are not only venerable but also dependent on our cellphones for simpler task. In a Journal written by Mohanad Halaweh Of University of Dubai he states that these problems that can be extremely harmful to an individual that is completely reliant on NFC technology. One of the main ethical concerns that comes to mind when thinking of NFC technology would be the replacement of machines to physical labor. It can already be seen today. Some stores have replaced the use of cashiers to automated scanners, and even at check out some of the credit card machines have been replaced with NFC enabled scanners where you can just tap your phone. From a security standpoint there are multiple problems involved with NFC transaction. The first and most obvious would be the safety concern of lost or theft. With NFC devices the account used to pay is linked to your physical device so if the device was stolen then it could cause problems with fraudulent charges. Companies though have found a way to combat this an example would be Apple pay. Before a transaction the user is required to use a fingerprint scanner to authorize the purchase this is a type of safety check before going on with a purchase. Another safety check that is enabled on Apple pay devices that applies to a lost or stolen phone would be the ability to disable the apple pay capabilities all together. Companies like this are making it safer for people to use NFC transactions. Privacy is another potential threat when it comes to using NFC transactions. In the same journal written by Mohamad Halaweh he goes on to say that users that use NFC enabled devices are easier to keep track of. This translates to whenever the device is used to pay the bank is able to track the GPS location of the person at the exact time of purchase. Other concerns of privacy include the tracking of purchases along with the sending habits of certain customers. This tracking is unknown to the user and is a complete invasion of privacy. With the cons of NFC technology there also are many benefits. The first and largest benefit would be the convince, with the usage of NFC enabled devices being more common machines that take NFC payments have also increased some of these include: Grocery stores, vending machines, and even public transit terminals. The widespread use of NFC devices make it easier and faster to pay than conventional means. This being a positive is also a negative because the use of NFC payment is not yet a standard in the USA it is only starting to become more common.

With the increase in NFC enabled devices growing companies have to keep up with the demand for both NFC products and support for the NFC products. One of the advancements that are being made is the development of a micro NFC SIM card. According to the official NFC website the Micro NFC sim cards are small NFC enabled devices that are able to take phones that are currently not NFC compatible and make them NFC enabled. This could further increase the amount on NFC enabled devices that are in circulation. Another variation of this same technology would be the NFC SD card. (NearfieldCommunication..org,1) Another advancement in NFC technology would be the addition of NFC enabled Nano chips into your body. In a video published by Buzzfeed in 2016 Senior Editor Charlie Warzel created a short film that documented his experience only using NFC enabled wireless devices. He had success by downloading as many apps that allowed the use of NFC enabled devices as payment and succeeded. The most interesting part of which is at one point of his journey he received a small implant in his hand that enables it to be paired with his phone. The end of the video documents him paying for a meal with just his hand. In an article written by Andy Greenburg Forbs security he states that the process of implanting an NFC enabled chip into your hand is not only quick but affordable. According to the article the chip was only” thirty dollars to purchase and the implant was an easy process”(Greenberg, 1). This use of NFC technology in his case was used as a self-identifying ID badge.