Is there a risk of someone “listening” or “stealing” the information from a contactless card?
One risk with contactless cards is the ability for the card to be activated when it enters a reader’s RF range without the owner being aware of it. To prevent a contactless card activation without the card owner being aware of it, the application can be configured to always ask for the owner’s authorization (password, PIN or biometric) before providing any user information or processing on the users behalf. The level of security of communication required between the contactless card and the reader must be defined as part of the system design and security controls must put in place so that un-invited listeners cannot intercept the data in any meaningful way. For example, all of the contactless technologies can use data encryption to protect data on the card and during transmission; this helps to ensure that, if information is intercepted, the information cannot be used by the recipient. It is important that all of the applications requirements be understood and defined prior to any tech
Related Questions
- How can I be certain that the information or communication between the card and reader is not intercepted in a contactless application?
- How does contactless smart card technology compare in price to traditional proximity systems?
- Is there a risk of someone "listening" or "stealing" the information from a contactless card?
