What feature of modern RFID technologies helps resist cloning by reducing exposure of full authentication data?

• A. Longer read range without encryption
• B. Open, unauthenticated broadcast
• C. Fixed keys that never rotate
• D. Encryption with limited identification broadcast

Answer: (D)

Protecting authentication data through encryption and limiting what is broadcast is how RFID systems resist cloning. When a tag responds, it uses encryption and a small, dynamic identifier that changes with each interaction, rather than sending plain credentials. This means an attacker who eavesdrops can’t derive the secret key or replay valid authentication data to impersonate the tag. The result is that cloning the tag becomes far more difficult because the full authentication data isn’t exposed and each response depends on a fresh challenge. In contrast, longer ranges without encryption, open unauthenticated broadcasts, or fixed keys that never rotate would expose more data or rely on static secrets, which makes cloning easier.