Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips can identify people, animals and objects from a distance of several metres but the technology is susceptible to misuse and hacking. ... This is because RFID chips are designed to be read by radio waves.

What are the risks of RFID?

Like most technologies and networks, RFID systems are also vulnerable to physical and electronic attacks, namely reverse engineering, power analysis, eavesdropping, sniffing, denial of service, cloning, spoofing, and viruses.

Do RFID tags pose a risk to personal privacy?

"RFID is essentially invisible and can result in both profiling and locational tracking of consumers without their knowledge or consent." ... This could result in unacceptable profiling of consumers, she said.