MIT develops tamper-proof ID tag

A team of MIT engineers has developed a new type of ID tag that uses terahertz waves, which are smaller and faster than radio waves.

The new tag is a cryptographic chip several times smaller and cheaper than RFID tags. It also offers improved security, using the unique pattern of metal particles in the glue that attaches the tag to the item as a fingerprint.

The tag was invented a few years ago by the same MIT researchers, but it had a major flaw: it shared the same security vulnerability as RFID tags, as it could be easily removed and reattached. The engineers have now solved this problem by adding the antitampering feature, which leverages the properties of terahertz waves.