Smartphone Used To Scan Data From Chip-Enabled Credit Cards

An anonymous reader sends this news from the CBC: "Using a Samsung Galaxy SIII — one of the most popular smartphones available in Canada — and a free app downloaded from the Google Play store, CBC was able to read information such as a card number, expiry date and cardholder name simply holding the smartphone over a debit or credit card. And it could be done through wallets, pockets and purses. ... Although the NFC antennas in current smartphones need to be very close to a card in order to work — no farther than 10 cm — that could change with the next generation of Android smartphones. Legary said the Samsung Galaxy S4, set to go on sale this spring, might have a much more capable NFC antenna, which could not only read credit cards from a greater distance, but could also be able to read the chips embedded in enhanced driving licenses and passports."

Comments

Re:What are we going to call this?

[compro01]

Given how close you need to get to do this, more like wargrinding.

Testing with my GS3 and Interac Flash-enabled debit card, the card needed to be in physical contact with the back of the phone to be read, despite their "4 inches" claim.