Chase to issue RFID credit cards

Banks love it when you use plastic, so it's no surprise that biggie JP Morgan Chase is working to make it easier for you to use their credit cards. New "blink" cards to be tested in two U.S. cities later this year will use RFID to let you wave your card at a point-of-sale terminal instead of swiping it, a system that will be familiar to anyone who's used Mobil's Speedpass to buy gas. Chase says the system will be as secure as traditional POS terminals; we give it about a week before the RFID crackers prove them wrong.

[www.mygadgetbag.com @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

This is one thing that I do not want enabled, even for how convenient it would be. I just don't trust this kind of thing. Imagine some guy walking through a crowd with a cracking device, collecting information, how convenient...

[luxuryluke @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Don't drive too close to the town center or you'll be swiping for random people who are currently ringing up at the register without even knowing it.

I'm waiting to hear how crackers invent a RFID signal amplifier to amp up YOUR card so they can hijack it for their purchases.

Just thinkin...

[Christina @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

I'm sure this will be more convienient for people, but I don't trust this kind of technology. Then again, I'm the type of person who still uses checks to pay my bills. I just think this type of technology makes it too easy to steal information and have many other problems.

[Christina @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

I'm sure this will be more convienient for people, but I don't trust this kind of technology. Then again, I'm the type of person who still uses checks to pay my bills. I just think this type of technology makes it too easy to steal information and have many other problems.

[JFM @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Sounds fine to me - as long as the bank/merchants are on the hook for any fraudulant transactions (as they are now with credit cards - at least in the US), I'd use it.

[jfb3 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

#2
I think it would go like this.

Inside a backpack:
Laptop,
battery, wire-loop (tada... field generator)
A little bit of custom circuitry
Some custom code

Or maybe hide the field generator in a three ring binder that you can hold in your hand (and wave around without suspicion).

Pooof! Your credit card is their plaything.

If I ever have one of these things it'll live in a specially designed pocket in my card-holder with a metal lining.

[Ron @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Hmmm... I guess you could just wave your wallet in front of the reader without even taking the card out. But, and privacy concerns notwithstanding, what if you had more than one RFID-enabled card? How would you decide which one to use for this charge? Or would the register decide for you (and automatically pick your VISA/MC/Discover over your Amex because of the lower merchant fees)?!?

[yuppicide @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

This is a bad idea. Now hackers don't even have to look suspicious?! They could just devise a device to sit in their pocket and while they are casually out to dinner it's grabbing information for them?!

[Mike @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

I wonder how difficult it would be to design a card like this but it have some sort of shielding on it so the rf burst would only work within 6 inches of the card.

Or what about something where you not only need the rf burst to activate/read the card, but it would draw a small amount of current by using body heat (i.e. pinching the card with two fingers the same way you do when swiping it?)


Alas, I still think using smart card readers (i.e. American Express Blue) is the safest way to go. I, for one, won't use this rfid stuff until it has been proven secure)

[Slacker @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

This is scary.
I'm instead in favor of being able to pay using your cell phone, since you'd be able to control the device, instead of a free-for-all like RFIDs.

Slacker

[thingst @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

I've used the Mobil Speedpass for a couple of years now and it's not a bad system. I think some of you might be way overestimating the range of these things. It gets the power to transmit from the receiving device's field and needs to be within an inch or two to function. Very, very low power stuff.

To imagine that someone could drive by and get the info is unlikely.

[Cullen @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

no '[thanks, cullen]'?
sigh.
SOME DAY!

[Et Tu @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

This has been in use for over a year in Malaysia.

http://www.visa-asia.com/newsroom/NR_Msia_270404.shtml

[andu @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

the distance that a rfid is read at is not dependent on the chip, rather the reader.
this is scary

[Whtrbt7 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Hey I have one of these bad boys. Now where do I use it?

[scott @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

No more waiting in long lines! I hope everyone gets one of these.

[Ben Padnos @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Amazing. I wonder what kind of market reaction they'll get to this. Just doesn't seem like something people really want -- would you really trust this sort of thing? How hard is it really to reach into your pocket and hand them your credit card? I do think Chase is a great credit card company, especially now that they acquired Bank One and have such a variety of card offers.

[Neo @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

This may be remembered as the worst mistake / business decision made by a Company ever. Hackers can conveniently duplicate your magnetic cards, leave alone the 8 - bit (highest) data security provided by RFID. I hope this one fails in the test phase itself, so that it isnt CakeWalk for a hacker to retrieve Credit Card info, without even touching your card ever.

[Alexis @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Hong Kong has been using something similar - Octopus card for over 8 years. it was first used on Public transport, and all you need is a beep fromthe machine. The cash is preloaded.
Now, you can use the card everywhere from Starbucks to Pharmacies.. and i have mine connected to my VISA card to have it topped up automatically. NEVER has there been any reports of some wierdo holding a machine beeping people in the crowds and taking their money....