The RFID hacks keep coming fast and furious -- hot the heels of that Mifare / Oyster Card exploit, the crew at BoingBoing TV has posted up a little demo of how easy cracking the RFID encryption on an American Express card can be. All it takes is an $8 dollar reader easily available on eBay, some software, and the courage to walk around with a laptop waving plastic boxes at people's butt pockets, but developer Pablos Holman says he's hoping to develop a newer version that will allow him to be a little more discreet. The root of the problem is apparently the fact that the system uses local decryption rather than sending card info to a secure data center, but either way we've been worried about this for a long time -- we're sticking to loose change and the barter system from now on. Video after the break.

We've definitely seen some outlandish attempts at improving or outright replacing the humble credit card, but South Koreans will soon be able pay for purchases using the most easy-to-lose system we've seen yet -- by inserting a special USB flash drive into a slot. The system, which is being rolled out by Shinhan Card and Visa, also lets users pay for online purchases by sticking the drive into their computers' USB ports, and Shinhan is also rolling out new terminals that will enable contactless payments using the device as well. Of course, the drive itself is locked down tighter than a drum, but we still aren't convinced a bulky flash drive is a better option than phone-based or biometric payment systems.

[Via The Raw Feed]

As far as we know, Evergreen's Business Card MP3 Player doesn't come pre-loaded with Flight of the Conchords' most relevant jam, but you can't deny it'd be a great fit. This all-white, ultra-simplistic DAP checks in at 86- x 55- x 6-millimeters, weighs just 36-grams and includes 1GB of storage space. You'll also find a flip-out USB 2.0 connector, internal speaker and some sort of recording function. Slip one into your tight leather jacket pocket for a steep $126.19 -- it should make sorting the recycling much less tedious.

[Via AkihabaraNews]

As if there wasn't enough temptation to get into debt, credit card manufacturers are now looking to stick fancy displays and keypads directly onto cards. The "Credit Card Embedded Authentication Device" was put together by Innovative Card Technologies and eMue Technologies, and uses the screen and keypad to provide security for online and mobile based banking transfers: the user enters their pin into the card, which gives back a one-time use code to authorize online transactions. The card will get its "consumer debut" -- whatever that means -- in Paris this November, at the Cartes & IDentification event.

[Via Bsams]

Note to parents: if you'd like your tweens not to run up extraordinary bills on the shared credit card when they head out to the mall, start by passing on Barbie's Fashion Fever Shopping Boutique playset. This innocent looking package allows youngsters to shop 'til they drop with fake plastic, but rather than actually hitting a credit limit and getting rejected, the card delivers the wrong message by simply allowing kids to spend as much dough as they'd like without any negative consequences. Take a look at the commercial after the jump.

[Via Gearlog]

Looking for a small, light, credit-card-esque flash drive... which doubles as an MP3 player... which is covered in a "liquid" print? Well you're in luck, kiddies, because some anonymous Chinese electronics maker has got you covered on all fronts. Enter the "USB Flash Card MP3 Player," an ultra-thin, 2GB device that plays MP3s and WMAs, functions as a USB flash drive, and will give you absolutely no information about the song you're listening to. Hey, if you wanted information, you would get a screen -- this thing fits in your wallet. Available right now for the bargain basement price of $42.

Considering all the companies that have already (or almost) jumped on the cashless bandwagon, it follows logic that another duo of Japanese firms are bringing their own biometric payment system to the forefront. Reportedly, Hitachi and JCB Co. Ltd. are working hand in hand (ahem) to develop a system that would "identify the veins on a person's finger" in order to sync with their credit card or bank data and complete a purchase. As expected, the companies are pushing their creation as a safer and more reliable method of paying for items, and while there's no telling how quickly customers are apt to implement said technology, Hitachi has reportedly stated that it would "launch an experiment in September involving 200 of its employees to see if it is commercially viable to introduce the system in shops, banks and other businesses."

Apparently, even swipeless credit cards are too much of an inconvenience to carry around in Turkey, or else Garanti Bank and MasterCard are just doing a fine job of whispering PayPass into those ears that are now tuned in. Gimmick or not, the two firms have partnered up to dole out a few limited edition timepieces that not only sport embedded PayPass modules to skip the painful John Hancock procedure altogether on basic, low-dollar purchases, but also feature a flashy and surprisingly tawdry motif. The bright orange watch rocks a few soccer balls, er, footballs on the face, and also includes a handy date feature to keep you on track. No word on exactly how one would go about procuring one of these contactless payment watches, but if your Garanti account is pushing six or seven figures, we'd say you've got some leverage.

[Via TechDigest]

If you've got too many credit cards, debit cards and loyalty cards eating up your precious wallet space that could otherwise be put to better use storing gum wrappers and Bazooka Joe comics, and you don't mind adding another gadget to your accessory-toting bag of choice, then this iCache thing might be just the thing for you. The device can emulate pretty much anything with a magnetic strip, storing the info inside the device and allowing you access with a simple swipe of your finger and a menu selection. To read back the info, the device can display a barcode, communicate wirelessly with one of those contactless terminals, or print the data out onto a universal magnetic card that will store the info for 10 minutes, allowing for a quick shopping spree. While in the right hands, this sounds quite promising -- if a tad self-defeating due to the fact that the gadget is most likely larger than your stack of cards -- and the security seems commendable, we shudder to think what a hacked-up version of this thing, lacking that arbitrary thumb-based security, could pull off, so for now we'll stick with burying all our cash in the backyard and guarding it with a one-eyed dog and our trusty shotgun.

[Via The Raw Feed]

Alright, this is getting out of hand. We were a little wary at the first when we heard about tying RFID so closely to our monies, and that Chase Bank blink card of ours has been collecting dust ever since it showed up in the mail, but the latest failings of RFID "security" have us running for the hills -- tin foil hat in tow. Apparently some UK scoundrels teamed up with a crooked gas station attendant to nab credit card numbers from RFID smart card-enabled credit cards. They then stashed this info on the magnetic strips of phone cards, and flew over to India to make withdrawls. Since Indian ATMs don't require the double identification of RFID smart card and magnetic strip, just the strip, they were able to manage quite a bit of cash before a vigilant security guard spotted them making withdrawls from multiple cards in succession. The gang of four men were caught with $14,000 and 116 credit cards. To make things worse, the UK Cyber Crime Unit wasn't even aware of the existence of RFID chips, (makes sense, since the cards don't use such technology) and we're not sure what's to stop another group of clever hackers making off with another set of credit cards and forever ruining any hope of security we've managed to hold onto so far.

UPDATE: Turns out there was some serious misinformation floating around, since UK cards don't even use RFID, but instead operate with smart cards that require physical contact. This makes roughly 95% of our ranting completely irrelevant, but the heist is disconcerting all the same.

[Via Boing Boing]

While Monopoly is the paragon of good 'ole fashioned board game fun, the "old fashioned" part had to go. Parker Brothers is phasing out the cash-based version's funmoney and replacing it with an "Electronic Banking" flavor that could leave Mr. Moneybags turning his pockets inside out as his stash is replaced by a magnetic strip. New kits are completely devoid of the famous multi-colored bills; instead, you'll find phoney Visa debit cards and a calculator / reader which keeps a running tabulation of your riches -- or lack thereof. A deal was struck with Visa to design the mock cards and readers, presumably after surveys showed that 70% of adults used cash less often now than they did a decade ago (no surprise there). When asked about the dramatic change, Parker said replacing cash with plastic "showed the game was moving with the times." For those anxious to get their swipe on, or if you've simply forgotten how to use bills, the new version will set you back £24.99, while the now "antiquated" cash version can be had for £12.99, but only while supplies last.