Any system which relies on a 'dumb' card to protect itself is doomed to failure. The methodology is flawed and the incentive to do so is there so in truth the answer must be yes. I can't say whether all cards have been hacked, and whether they are all 'hackable' today, but historically. Best goĪnd modify that risk assessment and have a second thought about committing vast sums of money to what is obviously a failed technology.Ī Finextra member 25 February, 2008, 18:30 0 likes
If you think it's hard securing PC networks, the chip is somewhat mentally impaired compared to a PC, how are they supposed to protect themselves? The methodology is flawed from the start and no amount of technology is going to make up for that. Consumers have said time and time again that privacy is paramount - where's the privacy in this? Anonymous and secure transactions are what is required to keep the It's just a matter of time before all those new-fangled gizmo's are out with the rubbish.
Before you listen to the pitch about the new 'improved' card they can upgrade you with, think back to what they told you about this one. Theirs is 100% safe, try telling that to Amex. I know your card supplier will be quick to try and reassure you that
Looks like we'll all need foil lined pockets.
Hackers have previously shown how to scan cards at a great distance using a foil lined tube as a directional antenna. Laurie said Chapy is still “very much a work-in-progress,” and will it be available on the Rfidiots site today. Laurie says American Express denied that the card store the name of the cardholder, however in the live demo Chapy did display the account holder’s name. “I didn’t need any authentication or PIN number,” he said as he demonstrated hacking an Amex 'smart' credit card, “And I’ve been told you can use this The tool also can hack cards with RFID tags, such as American Express cards, which he demonstrated here. Just what you need to buy something off the web or easily clone the credit card. “I had been wondering what was on my credit card,” says Laurie, whose released tool will for now only works with Personal Computer/Smart Card (PCSC)-based technology.Ĭhapy reads the account identification information:. The kit Laurie made uses Python (a script language) and, combined with a card reader, allows you to scan and clone the data stored on the credit card. Laurie previously released Rfidiot Kit for hacking many RFID (credit cards, building passes, animal ID tags, passports, and more with it's extendable scripted kit) He used his newly released Chapy tool to read name and account,Įtc.
Well known rocket scientist Adam Laurie demonstrated and released a tool he developed for hacking credit-card mag strips as well as RFID chips implanted in some cards at Black Hat 2008 (the hackers conference) in Washingtion DC. Hacker tool skims credit card account ID data off magnetic strips, RFID chips including Amex
You probably have time to read this before you just check your Amex account, and yes I could just walk through Wall St during lunch and pluck a few hundred Amex cards out of the air, rather than the pockets of those I pass.Īmex - give me a call and I'll show you how to use any model mobile phone as a secure card without the dumb chip and the same to any other folks with 'smart' ideas. Bear in mind the ticket system uses RFID chips and in my experience the Black Hat's leave a trick or two up their sleeve so it's probably worse than one might think.