-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- http://cnn.com/TECH/9705/16/t_t/magnetic.security/index.html Catching counterfeit credit cards Researchers find way to check magnetic 'fingerprints' ST. LOUIS, Missouri (CNN) -- Researchers at Washington University here have come up with a way to spot counterfeit credit cards by detecting the unique "fingerprint" on the back of each card. <snip> Their solution, called the Magneprint system, reads the millions of tiny magnetic particles, which are unique on each card, says Professor Ronald Indeck. Each magnetic stripe on the card has two important areas. The first looks like a bar code, which contains the account number. The rest is a random pattern of magnetic information -- a signature that is different on every card and impossible to duplicate, Indeck says. <snip> The inventors say the Magneprint system can be used to stop other kinds of fraud, involving airline tickets, currency, and checks. It's expected to be made available to card companies later this year. ========================================================================== -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.2 iQEVAwUBM311bjltEBIEF0MBAQHq1Af9EIo98F80FaAbiYJv9JBfR8QIFpwIHnCG HPZAyRFPz8Yx1AMApGc0i5JckqanriXzAEE/+3K1YiLcpL0X0yxUEA6wBc31nYG1 6so/mWdeaBMy81/Coa+534vPcWpPN4/TyBsiGitNzeh4dVit2yYg/AwW2NV092B2 p6ERgI91UtIxVov18CG2wpt960H2q4QNGnl5pI43xhHeutsZHvt97eDpoMTqaR6v nam1TpolXxQSxcubmOfUFyvI1hZN3bUx472OnfcrtuuNHMPsoGX11J9Z2NtTzwjx FbcpDJ0KCQtTlY1ViGHI60XqFFFWXUQ/pTZgXF8bVeOsIzOkicU0Ug== =Y3gr -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----