# Should I smash my passport with a hammer? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 11, 2007, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584 "2007-01-11T17:48:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584/41 "2007-01-12T13:05:44Z")
> [@](#): > > Firstly, there is an international symbol for “Biometric” passports. It’s located on the front cover, bottom center. It’s a solid rectangle with a circle in the middle. and a line coming off each side of the circle. > > Kind of like this: > > Code: > > * * * > > | –O– | > | --- | Great Zeus! It’s a TIE Fighter! Is Darth Vader in Passport Control? ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584/42 "2007-01-12T13:17:39Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] OK, the same site says that the information can’t be skimmed, because in order to access the data, you have to present a key, consisting of information physically printed inside the passport. [/QUOTE] Damn it there you go ruining a perfectly good tin-foil conspiracy theory with facts. 😃 How do you expect us to get all pissed off at our government, black helicopters, and the shadowy forces of evil if you keep spoiling our fun with facts. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584/43 "2007-01-12T13:19:41Z")
Furthermore, there is shielding material built into the cover of the passport so that it is difficult to communicate with the RFID device when the cover is closed. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584/44 "2007-01-12T13:29:42Z")
> [@bluethree](#): > > Or in your case, someone has to get physical access to your passport by the expedient of finding it, wherever it might be that you left it lying around for several years. I know it’s either in my place or my parents’. > [@Mangetout](#): > > OK, the same site says that the information can’t be skimmed, because in order to access the data, you have to present a key, consisting of information physically printed inside the passport. > [@Mangetout](#): > > Furthermore, there is shielding material built into the cover of the passport so that it is difficult to communicate with the RFID device when the cover is closed. Fair enough, I suppose. I still don’t see the upside of this thing that outweighs the cost of implementing it and the potential downsides. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584/45 "2007-01-12T14:03:36Z")
I will smash mine. It is still valid even when smashed. If it is less easy for the ICE guy, so what. The Chip, might, possibly, could be, maybe, used for evil. No chip, no problem. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584/46 "2007-01-12T15:15:48Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] Yes, I can’t think of any way that a person could get hold of a jpeg image of you just by being nearby. [/QUOTE] It is not about having A picture of you. It is about having THE picture of you that matches official records. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584/47 "2007-01-12T15:20:30Z")
[QUOTE=Sapo] It is not about having A picture of you. It is about having THE picture of you that matches official records. [/QUOTE] OK, but I think it’s established that no access to this will be available unless the indentity thief gains physical access to the passport, in which case you’re just as screwed with or without the chip. ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584/48 "2007-01-12T15:29:06Z")
[QUOTE=Belrix] The book [Spychips](http://www.amazon.com/Spychips-Major-Corporations-Government-Purchase/dp/0452287669/sr=8-1/qid=1168552200/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-4400047-1807125?ie=UTF8&s=books) says that a microwave oven will effectively destroy a chip - so maybe 20 seconds in m-wave oven would be useful. [/QUOTE] Yes, but from the Wired article: > [@](#): > > Forget about nuking it in the microwave – the chip could burst into flames, leaving telltale scorch marks. Besides, have you ever smelled burnt passport? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584/49 "2007-01-12T15:46:45Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] OK, the same site says that the information can’t be skimmed, because in order to access the data, you have to present a key, consisting of information physically printed inside the passport. [/QUOTE] Well, that’s a good thing then. Somebody was thinking. ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584/50 "2007-01-12T16:05:26Z")
And we all know that encrypted information is perfectly safe. No one in the history of the world has ever hacked into any type of secure system. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584/51 "2007-01-12T16:25:56Z")
No; you’re right - none of them are safe. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584/52 "2007-01-12T20:37:11Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] OK, the same site says that the information can’t be skimmed, because in order to access the data, you have to present a key, consisting of information physically printed inside the passport. [/QUOTE] Printed inside the passport.. _(To access biometic data, press any key)_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584/53 "2007-01-12T20:54:12Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] No; you’re right - none of them are safe. [/QUOTE] I don’t mean to sound paranoid here, but the US Government has shown itself to be particularly bad at protecting confidential data. In the past 5½ years, it has also developed a record of accessing information that it can access, but said it wouldn’t, and not telling anyone about it until well after the fact. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584/54 "2007-01-12T21:40:57Z")
Keep it in some kind of RFID-blocking casing (several examples mentioned earlier in the thread) – that way, it gives a signal when you want it to, and only then. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584/55 "2007-01-12T22:34:02Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] I will smash mine. It is still valid even when smashed. If it is less easy for the ICE guy, so what. The Chip, might, possibly, could be, maybe, used for evil. No chip, no problem. [/QUOTE] That’s OK. For the likes of you, the government will soon just embed the chip in your skin. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584/56 "2007-01-12T23:32:47Z")
Actually, even with the security measures described, the system is ludicrously insecure; if the conversation between the RFID chip and the reader at the passport control desk isn’t encrypted, all you have to do is wait until the reader machine provides the right keycode, then snoop on the data transmission. In view of that, I’m going to do an about-face - whilst I think secure electronic passports would be a good idea with distinct advantages over the paper ones, these ain’t it. Smash the chip. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2007, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584/57 "2007-01-13T00:01:18Z")
I wouldn’t smash the chip, but I certainly would carry it around in an appropriately shielded case. Some kind of copper mesh might work well, and it’d be more durable and less obvious/crinkly than using aluminum foil. Apparently, passports are using a 13.56 mhz standard. Anybody know how best to shield at this frequency? Luckily, I renewed my passport last summer, and can avoid this issue for another ten years. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2007, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584/58 "2007-01-13T14:46:14Z")
Someone above said somethig about there are those who would love to get your name and date of birth. Dang! Waddya know, but I’ve been handing that out to people asking me what they are. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584/59 "2007-01-14T00:20:50Z")
[QUOTE=fetus] Fair enough, I suppose. I still don’t see the upside of this thing that outweighs the cost of implementing it and the potential downsides. [/QUOTE] I don’t care for the chip myself, but it’ll probably make the passport harder to fake. Now, in addition to altering the photo, the criminals have to deal with the chip. And you know that anybody who smashes the chip is going to get extra attention from security. Me, I don’t care if they put my picture on this chip, but the idea of having all my biographical info on what’s basically a Mobil SpeedPass makes me nervous. My passport doesn’t have the chip (it’s a couple of years old) and I’m fine with that. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584/60 "2007-01-16T07:11:35Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > I don’t care for the chip myself, but it’ll probably make the passport harder to fake. Couldn’t they just weave a new pattern into the cover or something? Hell of an expensive and roundabout way to address a problem I wasn’t aware existed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-smash-my-passport-with-a-hammer/387584.md?page=4)