I have always wondered how is paying using NFC without entering any pin code is safe? I understand that NFC is for convenience but doesnt it affect security greatly and anyone can simple take your credit card and use it?
I have always wondered how is paying using NFC without entering any pin code is safe? I understand that NFC is for convenience but doesnt it affect security greatly and anyone can simple take your credit card and use it?
Comments
The bottom line is your card is secure as you physically keep it. A super advanced pencil and paper (or camera) can copy your number exp date and sec code when you trust a waiter or shop employee with it.
The data in the chip can’t just be copied just by reading it. As such, to make a transaction, the card needs to be present.
As with many other forms of security measures, if someone else has unrestricted physical access to the device in question, security of the data on it isn’t meaningful anymore. That being said credit/debit cards can be killed/replaced easily.
On that tangent, it doesn’t matter if it’s tappped or inserted, if someone steals the card and wants to run it up, nothing except the issuing bank or possibly a really observant merchant will stop them
I don’t think it’s a concept that you can fully explain to a 5 year old.
Just remember that the NFC has a computer inside of it and it doesn’t just ansewer “my code is 01010101101”, it can do processing. So, yeah, they can get the credit card data for the NFC, but, there is a criptographic challenge between the point of sale and the nfc chip that isn’t easily copied or reversed.