{"id":32150,"date":"2013-12-17T09:35:49","date_gmt":"2013-12-17T17:35:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.mcafee.com\/?p=32150"},"modified":"2025-08-08T01:42:32","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T08:42:32","slug":"lost-your-luggage-theres-an-app-for-that","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/lost-your-luggage-theres-an-app-for-that\/","title":{"rendered":"Lost Your Luggage? There\u2019s an App for That"},"content":{"rendered":"

Did you know that worldwide, 1% of all luggage was mishandled last year\u2014a percentage that may seem small, but actually amounts to an astounding 25.8 million bags (costing airlines $2.6 billion dollars, and passengers some serious grievance)? Thankfully, the days of paper baggage claim checks and missing bags may be long gone. One technology company is working to ease the headache for both travelers and airlines by creating an electronic luggage tagging system that will be controlled through a mobile app. Vanguard ID Systems\u2019 electronic tag<\/a> would save paper, ink, and the headache of lost baggage, but does this new tracking technology pose a threat to your personal security?<\/p>\n

The \u201cViewTag\u201d is a plastic baggage claim tag that hooks onto your bags much like its sticky paper counterpart. But this tag utilizes a matte \u201celectronic paper\u201d display<\/a> (similar to the screen on a Kindle) to show your departing and arriving airport codes and a scannable barcode for the airport\u2019s reference. It\u2019s very much like the luggage labels we\u2019re accustomed to, only reusable, unbreakable, and waterproof.<\/p>\n

With the new programmable ViewTag, you can use an app on your mobile device to easily code the electronic baggage claim tag with your final destination. ViewTags use a technology called Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID)\u2014something that is already used to track automobile parts through the assembly line, keep track of warehouse inventory, and more. Once the tag has been programmed, users will receive a text message whenever the bag makes a stop or arrives in a new destination\u00ad\u2014so you\u2019ll know where your luggage is at all times.<\/p>\n

RFID works by creating wireless connections between radio-frequencies to transfer data that identifies and tracks objects. I\u2019ve written previously about the growing \u201cInternet of Things<\/a>,\u201d an idea that more and more everyday objects are becoming connected to the Web, and \u201csmart\u201d baggage claim tags are yet another example to add to this list. And as with many newly \u201cconnected\u201d objects, the emergence of trackable luggage tags raises a new wave of security concerns.<\/p>\n

The most obvious of these? If you can track your bag\u2019s location, couldn\u2019t someone else do the same? There is a potential that the ViewTag and its corresponding mobile app could be hacked. If a cybercriminal wanted to locate you by tracking your bag or perhaps reroute the tag to a different end destination, it\u2019s a possibility that someone with the right knowhow could break in and either steal or manipulate a tag\u2019s data.<\/p>\n

Proactive Steps to Maximize Their Safety<\/h2>\n

Despite the potential security concerns, RFID is here to stay. Whether it\u2019s smart baggage claim tags, company ID cards that track your whereabouts in your place of work, or other innovative tracking systems, the benefits of RFID seem to outweigh the security threats. The companies using RFID for their benefit will eventually have to take the lead in educating and addressing security concerns, but until then, it\u2019s up to consumers to take proactive steps to maximize their safety.<\/p>\n