Picture this: You arrive at an international airport, scan your passport at an automated gate, and pass through immigration in seconds. This seamless identity check is powered by RFID verification, a core feature of today’s electronic identity documents.

Since the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standardized RFID in 2006, radio frequency identification (RFID) technology has revolutionized how personal identity is authenticated across borders and industries. In this article, we’ll explain the essentials—from what RFID is and how it works, to different types of RFID authentication, and how it compares to NFC verification in remote ID checks.

What is RFID Technology?

What is RFID technology? Short for Radio Frequency Identification, RFID uses radio waves to wirelessly transmit data from a small chip—known as an RFID tag—to a reader. This makes it possible to uniquely identify objects and individuals without direct contact or line-of-sight.

RFID has a wide range of applications: from asset tracking in logistics to inventory control in retail and access systems in buildings. The same RFID system powers RFID chips embedded in passports, ID cards, and driver’s licenses, where it’s used to securely store and verify personal and biometric data.

There are two main types of RFID tags:

•     Passive RFID tags: Do not have a power source; activated by the RFID reader’s electromagnetic field.
•     Active RFID tags: Contain a battery and can transmit signals over much longer distances.

Depending on the use case, RFID operates at different frequencies:

•     Low Frequency (125 KHz) – For access cards, animal tracking
•     High Frequency (13.56 MHz) – Used in electronic ID documents and NFC verification
•     Ultra-High Frequency (860–960 MHz) – For RFID solutions in retail, toll collection, and logistics

How Does RFID Work?

So, how does RFID work in identity verification? Here’s a basic overview of the RFID workflow in electronic IDs:

1. The RFID chip, also called a contactless integrated circuit (CIC), is embedded inside the document.
2. A reader or RFID scanner emits radio waves that power the passive tag inside the chip.
3. Once powered, the chip initiates a secure exchange with the reader, sending back encrypted data.
4. The reader interprets this data using specialized software to verify the individual’s identity.

From the outside, RFID verification feels instant and simple. But under the hood, it’s an elaborate process involving layered security, cryptographic algorithms, and digital certificates.

Data Stored on RFID Chips

Each chip stores multiple data groups (DGs), depending on the type of document. A biometric passport might include:

•     DG1: Personal data (name, DOB, nationality)
•     DG2: Holder’s photograph
•     DG3/DG4: Fingerprints and iris scans
•     DG14/DG15: Cryptographic keys for chip and active authentication
•     SOD: Document Security Object, containing hashes and a digital signature to ensure data integrity

This structure ensures that different types of data (e.g., personal info vs. biometrics) are only accessible to authorized systems, enhancing both privacy and security.

Access Control Methods

To guard against data skimming and interception, RFID-enabled documents employ several access control mechanisms:

•     Basic Access Control (BAC): Uses data from the MRZ to generate a session key (based on symmetric encryption)
•     Password Authenticated Connection Establishment (PACE): An upgrade over BAC, with stronger encryption
•     Extended Access Control (EAC): Adds another layer for sensitive biometric data, requiring Terminal Authentication

What Are the Main Types of RFID Chip Authentication?

RFID authentication ensures that the chip inside a document is genuine and the data hasn’t been altered or cloned. Here are the four primary types:

1. Passive Authentication

Checks that the data on the chip matches the hash values in the SOD. Verifies the integrity and authenticity of the data, but not the chip itself.

2. Active Authentication

Detects cloned chips. The reader sends a challenge that the chip must sign using its private key, with verification handled using the public key stored in DG15.

3. Chip Authentication

A more advanced method replacing Active Authentication. It uses asymmetric cryptography to derive a session key and confirm that the chip’s private key matches the stored public key.

4. Terminal Authentication

Allows only authorized terminals to access restricted biometric data. This is a requirement in countries with strict privacy controls, such as Germany.

Why Server-Side Verification Matters

While mobile-based NFC verification is widely used in digital onboarding, relying solely on mobile devices isn’t foolproof. Fraudsters can use cloned chips or manipulated devices to forge results.

The solution: server-side RFID verification. This method treats mobile devices as untrusted, verifying all data in a secure environment using trusted certificates from sources like the ICAO PKD. Regula’s solution, for instance, cross-validates the chip content and cryptographic signatures server-side to detect inconsistencies or tampering.

What Is the Difference Between NFC and RFID?

While RFID and NFC are closely related technologies, they differ in scope, functionality, and use cases.

In short, NFC is a subset of RFID technology, optimized for secure, short-range peer-to-peer communication—ideal for NFC verification scenarios like remote onboarding.

Key Takeaways

•     RFID technology enables secure, contactless identification using radio waves and is the backbone of modern electronic ID documents.
•     High-frequency RFID chips are embedded in passports, ID cards, and driver’s licenses to enable fast and secure identity checks.
•     Different types of RFID authentication—Passive, Active, Chip, and Terminal—verify the integrity of the chip and the authenticity of its data.
•     What is RFID and how does it work? In simple terms: the RFID chip exchanges data with a reader using encrypted radio signals, supported by cryptographic protocols.
•     While mobile NFC verification makes digital onboarding convenient, server-side RFID validation remains the most reliable way to guard against spoofing and cloned documents.
•     A robust identity verification system should combine RFID verification with other checks like liveness detection, face matching, and cross-referencing data from the MRZ, VIZ, and barcode zones.

By implementing comprehensive RFID solutions and adopting a zero-trust approach to mobile verification, organizations can ensure a more secure and seamless identity verification process—whether at a border checkpoint or during a remote onboarding session.