Smartcards and flashlights

[Paul Walker]

Hi,

I was reading the "Big Brother" supplement with the Guardian this weekend
(conclusion - a nice summary of stuff, but not much the people on here
wouldn't already know). One thing that did catch my eye was this:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/bigbrother/privacy/yourlife/story/0,12384,785842,00.html

Someone saying that they can read smartcard cells using a camera flash. What
I was hoping was that someone on here could explain how flashing a light at
the cell would help, exactly, since the article's very short on details like
that. :-)

Thanks,

-- 
Paul

"I have no idea what's going on here, but it's quite entertaining."
                  -- Jason Willoughby, in rec.humor.oracle.d