Academic Hackers in Court
Science · 2008
A Dutch court is set to decide whether academic researchers can reveal how they cracked one of the most widely used security cards in the world. Chip producer NXP of the Netherlands has sued to prevent computer scientists from Radboud University in Nijmegen from discussing the topic at an October symposium in Spain. As part of a program to identify security weaknesses, the researchers announced in March that they had figured out how to “clone” MIFARE Classic, a chip used in hundreds of millions of building security and transit cards. Bart Jacobs, who led the work, says that academic freedom is at stake; NXP is “trying to kill the messenger,” he says. A company spokesperson declined to comment. A verdict is expected before 14 July, the deadline to submit final papers for the Málaga meeting.