Your Cat’s Microchip Could Spread Malware, Researchers Warn

A cat’s microchip could carry malware that infects systems during scans, spreading through RFID networks without needing an internet connection, researchers warn.

Cybernews reports that researchers from Vrije University in Amsterdam have issued a strange warning: the microchip in your pet could one day be used to deliver malware.

RFID tags, commonly implanted in pets or attached to collars, contain basic information like ID numbers and contact details. Veterinary professionals use RFID scanners to retrieve medical records instantly. Experts now warn that the same technology could become a cyberattack tool.

A typical RFID tag holds about 1 kilobit of data, which is tiny. Still, researchers showed that this small space can carry malicious code that targets weak spots in the systems reading the tag.

According to Cybernews, the attack begins when a hacker gains access to the RFID system’s backend, which manages tag information.  During a write operation, they inject malware onto a tag. That tag could be on a pet, a shipping crate, or a medical device. When it’s scanned by another RFID reader, the malware is triggered and spreads.

Since RFID systems are used in retail, hospitals, toll booths, warehouses, and even government buildings, the risk extends far beyond the vet’s office.

Cybernews reports that the malware doesn’t need an internet connection to spread. It moves between devices through direct contact, just like viruses spread through physical touch. It also doesn’t require emails, downloads, or any human interaction to propagate.

In one scenario, a supermarket receives a pallet with infected tags. The warehouse system reads and writes back the malware onto the tags. As containers move to other stores, they carry the virus with them. A similar attack could happen in a hospital or secure government site, as noted by Cybernews.

To prove it’s possible, researchers even built working malware to test RFID infections. They warn that “RFID phishing” (tricking people into scanning bad tags), “RFID wardriving” (hunting for weak RFID readers), and “RFID honeypots” (bait systems used to catch hackers) are all becoming real threats.

“People will never have the luxury of blindly trusting the data in their cat again,” the researchers said, as reported by Cybernews.