Magic Bands Safe from Thieves?

[Gena001]

Wow - you guys ARE awesome! My question was answered & even more info was mentioned & learned! Thanks all!

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

Wow - you guys ARE awesome! My question was answered & even more info was mentioned & learned! Thanks all!

Same here. This is a very helpful thread. Our last Disney trip was in May 2013 before the rollout of FP+ and Magicbands, so a lot of things I never thought of and questions I had were also answered on this thread

 

[MolonLabe]

RFID chip numbers are easily grabbed IF the thief gets close enough to it.

The question would be are there TWO different signals from the band's?

One active that can be detected from 30 feet away vs the passive that needs to be within inches to be energized and read?

I would think (and hope) so.

If someone captured that number in addition to using your fast passes they could enter your hotel room too... Obviously they'd have to know where you were staying.

There are some other issues as well but keep in mind this isn't really any different than other RFID technology. And that isn't exactly a comforting or scary thought.

It's simply a reality.

 

[CJLove79]

Well, well, well. Look at that. I must be getting old. It's that turning 37 thing that has fried my brain.

Thanks!!!! I found it And, reset it to something I remember

Also make sure that your reservation is fully paid off, that's another thing some people may forget about too.

 

[KEPE]

Do you need your pin to use your dinning credits and snack credits? Can you deactivate a band from having access to them? I think DH and I will be fine but I can see DD playing with hers and losing it. Can I just have that feature removed from her band? She's 7 so not like she will need it without one of us w/ her.

 

[Gracie09]

So, you're asking about the very specific and unlikely scenario where someone steals your band before you enter a park for the first time, or you used your band to enter a park yet you have a completely unused ticket linked to your account. What happens if someone finds that band and decides to take the band to a different park, since they would need biometrics to enter the same park? Since the thief would be 100 times more likely to get caught attempting to enter the park, since most bands would link back to partially used tickets, he'd have to be pretty stupid to even try.

Although I now have a picture of a thief with a stack of magic bands trying each one and going nope not it, nope not it, until he gets one that works.





Yes I do realize this is not likely and security would get involved just a funny picture I have in my head

 

[Meriweather]

I've used mine for 8 weeks now over the last year and it has never fallen off.
DS lost his in a week (this is an adult) in Dec.....he had 2, so I just deactivated the one he lost and he used the other one.

 

[larryz]

That's why I use the DVC slider like the extra catch on a watch band. Slide it over where the band overlaps so it can't come loose.

You can also use a mini-zip tie to secure the flap against the band...
http://www.walmart.com/c/ep/zip-ties

 

[nalajms]

Do you need your pin to use your dinning credits and snack credits? Can you deactivate a band from having access to them? I think DH and I will be fine but I can see DD playing with hers and losing it. Can I just have that feature removed from her band? She's 7 so not like she will need it without one of us w/ her.

I don't think you can. My kids do no have a pin, and there's no option to use a pin. Assuming the band works, they could charge DDP credits with out a pin.

When we travel with local relatives and have DDP, I tell them to use snack credits on my son's MB if say grandma takes DS.

 

[grecorj]

I set my pins when I customized my MB's last week. I'm sure I will forget them and have to reset at WDW, lol.

 

[fla4fun]

I have one of the cloth covers for my MB. It makes it more comfortable to wear in the heat, and I can place it so the opening on the cover isn't over where the band fastens - so the band can't catch on something and come unfastened. I have seen several women lose their band putting kids in and out of strollers because they get caught on something on the stroller. The bands don't really come unfastened easily, but they will come off if you happen to catch them on something. I always keep a couple extra bands in my suitcase, just in case.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

RFID chip numbers are easily grabbed IF the thief gets close enough to it.

The question would be are there TWO different signals from the band's?

One active that can be detected from 30 feet away vs the passive that needs to be within inches to be energized and read?

I would think (and hope) so.

If someone captured that number in addition to using your fast passes they could enter your hotel room too... Obviously they'd have to know where you were staying.

There are some other issues as well but keep in mind this isn't really any different than other RFID technology. And that isn't exactly a comforting or scary thought.

It's simply a reality.

...What's a reality? Where's an example where this has happened?

 

[larryz]

...What's a reality? Where's an example where this has happened?

I've seen it done and read reports of it being done at cyber conferences.

It generally takes a very sensitive antenna six or more inches long, an RF converter and a laptop. Kind of bulky, but could conceivably fit in a largish backpack.

They'd have to know your room number, though. And your pin.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I'm talking about at Walt Disney World - where has a report that it has been done?

 

[HopperFan]

RFID chip numbers are easily grabbed IF the thief gets close enough to it.

The question would be are there TWO different signals from the band's?

One active that can be detected from 30 feet away vs the passive that needs to be within inches to be energized and read?

I would think (and hope) so.

If someone captured that number in addition to using your fast passes they could enter your hotel room too... Obviously they'd have to know where you were staying.

There are some other issues as well but keep in mind this isn't really any different than other RFID technology. And that isn't exactly a comforting or scary thought.

It's simply a reality.

YES. MagicBands have active and passive RFID in them.

The active (one that can be captured from afar) is used for the on ride photos and Disney tracking you on property. This is the one working from the in band battery.

The passive one (it must be touched to the Mickey scanner) is for your room key, dining plan, ticket, FP+ and charging. If it involves $ you give a PIN number. This requires placement close to the scanner because it is the scanner that powers the connection.

If you lose it, just like a credit card, you deactivate it either with a CM or on MDE yourself. I've lost count on how many we have, boxes and boxes of them - and only lost one of them on our first trip using them. DS lost his on RnR. They are hard to lose. BUT we always bring a backup set in case.

 

[MolonLabe]

If you lose it, just like a credit card, you deactivate it either with a CM or on MDE yourself. I've lost count on how many we have, boxes and boxes of them - and only lost one of them on our first trip using them. DS lost his on RnR. They are hard to lose. BUT we always bring a backup set in case.

We haven't lost any yet but I've been putting the MNSSHP glow in the dark band slip thing over the girls, so it can't pop off just in case.

We will bring spares on this trip to leave in the room, in case we lose one.

 

[MolonLabe]

I've seen it done and read reports of it being done at cyber conferences.

It generally takes a very sensitive antenna six or more inches long, an RF converter and a laptop. Kind of bulky, but could conceivably fit in a largish backpack.

They'd have to know your room number, though. And your pin.

Thanks Larry.

I'm consistently amazed at the number of people who don't, even by accident, come across these news stories either from TV, Radio, blogs or even popping up in their facebook feeds. It's not top secret or anything, lol.

 

[MillauFr]

Anyone who is has the knowledge and desire to steal info off an RFID device wouldn't waste their time breaking into hotel rooms at Disney. All that time and effort so you can steal a $30 laptop? Why bother? People sophisticated enough to hack an RFID device are probably looking to steal real money.

 

[larryz]

Why bother?

Based on the um, "security experts" I've met, they're not likely to take any laptops. Theirs is probably 'way nicer than any they might find at WDW.

I believe they would do it for the thrill of the hunt, and to boast at the next Hackercon that they beat Disney's RFID system.

That's why tying the MB id number to a database is a better solution than storing data on the MBs themselves. They can clone ID numbers all day long, but to actually use them will require access to pins and/or account data, which is tucked away in another system.

 

[Disneyholic]

I was not given an option to set up a PIN when I did online check in. I think I have always set it up when I got to the resort, but now I am wondering if not having a PIN set up will prevent me from being able to do the "straight to room" checkin? Should there have been a prompt to set it up?

If you set it up on your Magic Band on other visits, that pin should still be valid.