-----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-----
harka@nycmetro.com wrote: | 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. "Impossible to duplicate." Perhaps he has never heard of the ironing trick? (You use an iron to heat one card in the proximity of the other. This breaks up the cohesion of the particles on the card close to the iron. The magnetic field in the other card causes the particles to realign themselves as they cool.) I suspect that a conventional card reader won't duplicate the other areas of the card. But the duplicability of bits is a fundamental fact. Thats why Chaum's original systems are online, and safer than the smartcard system. The smartcard based systems depend on the cost of breaking behing higher than the payoff for criminals. (Or the cost of breaking the smartcard based system as opposed to breaking some other system.) A mag stripe card, with no defenses built in, can be duplicated. Are they offering prize money for beating thier system? My only worry would be that they read finely enough that they notice small deviations in the duplicate. Adam -- "It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once." -Hume
On Sat, 17 May 1997, Adam Shostack wrote:
harka@nycmetro.com wrote:
| 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.
"Impossible to duplicate." Perhaps he has never heard of the ironing trick? (You use an iron to heat one card in the proximity of the other. This breaks up the cohesion of the particles on the card close to the iron. The magnetic field in the other card causes the particles to realign themselves as they cool.)
I am currious how there new system responds to wear and tear on the card. If it is as sensitive as they claim, I bet carrying the card around in your pocket will bang the card up enough to make it show up as a duplicate. Sounds like an eventual article for Risks...
participants (3)
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Adam Shostack -
Alan -
harka＠nycmetro.com