Graphics Programs Uncover Secret PINs

Errtu76 writes "The BBC is running a story stating that, among other programs, The Gimp and Photoshop have been identified as possible tools for uncovering PINs via the mail." From the article: "The researchers collected lots of so-called Pin mailers and then tested how secure they were. Many were defeated using bright lights shone at an angle on to the paper. Other Pins could be read by scanning the letter and then adjusting some of the image qualities in popular programs such as GIMP, Adobe Photoshop and Paintshop Pro."

Comments

Re:two sheets of mylar

[Pig Hogger]

I've always wondered why they didn't just slip some mylar film into those mailers. Mylar was designed in wartime as radar chaff, but is more likely seen today as the bag around your snack or a helium balloon.

If you look carefully, metallized mylar is not opaque (mylar itself is quite transparent), just like any sufficiently metal film.

Re:Applicability to "Scratch and Save" Coupons?

[sjmurdoch]

The report (PDF 767kB) deals with the type of PIN mailers where the PIN is printed on the top layer of the paper, but there is a "scramble pattern" underneath it which prevents you from reading the PIN. The scramble pattern is either peeled away or scratched off. If you can pick out the difference between the toner and the scramble pattern you can read the PIN.

I guess what you are talking about is where the data is printed then covered with a scratch off layer. This technology is common for lottery cards but I have never heard of it being used for PINs. Here you need to see through this layer to get at the data underneath, so the tricks mentioned in the report won't work.

(I am one of the authors of the report)