Re[2]: FYI: Trusted Reviews | Visa Revamps Humble Credit Card.

[Chris Salter]

Hello Brian and UKCrypto,

Wednesday, November 12, 2008, 3:58:54 PM, you wrote:

> Chris Salter <ukcrypto@originalthinktank.org.uk> wrote:

>> Hello Ukcrypto,
>>
>> FYI: Trusted Reviews | Visa Revamps Humble Credit Card.
>>
>> "In the biggest revamp the humble credit card has seen for many a
>> moon, Visa Europe has announced the trial of an innovative new card
>> designed to make shopping online and over the phone safer for
>> consumers.
>>
>> As the photos conveniently give away, the new card incorporates a 12
>> digit keypad and display on the back and a very simple system: key in
>> your pin and generate your one-time security code - goodbye terrifying
>> permanent number."
>>
>> http://www.trustedreviews.com/peripherals/news/2008/11/11/Visa-Revamps-The-Humble-Credit-Card/p1
>> or
>> http://preview.tinyurl.com/55h3ba


> I hope that the keys don't 'shine-up' with use. If they do, after a user
> has pressed the same 4 keys over and over again, it would be possible to
> identify the PIN.

If, as described, you start the "authentication process by pressing
the appropriate option button on the card's keypad", you may be able
to press all the other keys prior to that i.e. even out the wear. The
keys on the Barclay's PINsentry device (for Barclays Debit accounts)
appears to have fairly hard wearing 'rubber-like' keys but I will now
start the day by pressing them all at least once*! :-)

Chris

*The PINsentry does not power up until you press the appropriate
function button. It will also need resetting from an ATM if you enter
the wrong PIN 3 times so even if you can deduce the 4 digits from key
wear you still have to enter them in the correct sequence.

-- 
 Chris Salter                      mailto:ukcrypto@originalthinktank.org.uk
 Cornwall United Kingdom        http://www.originalthinktank.org.uk/