On Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:58:23 +0000
Roland Perry wrote:
Happens all the time at foreign hotel desks. The information isn't
secret - if you are relying this, please be advised that "security by
obscurity" is a very bad policy.

Hotels check your passport to make sure its you but I don't remember
any of them photocopying my details.

Not necessarily. The point is it doesn't have to be in contact which the
reader. Someone could brush past you

Goalposts "few metres" zooom "brush past"

Not really. The point is it can be done without you knowing about it.

even with a low powered reader and still grab the info. Its been done
with Oyster cards so it could be done with passports.

Breaking the encryption?

According to the wikipedia page it seems they're getting there.

And you don't even need to break the encryption , just clone the data bit
for bit. And thats been done.

B2003