Authentication devices

Authentication devices like NFC refer to Near-field communication, a set of communication protocols that enables two devices, one of which is usually a portable device such as a smartphone, to establish communication by bringing them within a few cm of each other. They are synonymous with contactless payment systems, and are beginning to gain traction (particularly in bigger cities like London and New York). The attraction of them from a security perspective is that they can be used as an additional factor, and as the NFC sits outside of an online ecosystem security is increased. A key current drawback is that NFC capability in iOS is pretty much locked down with no indications as to when (if ever) the capability will be available for 3rd party applications sitting on an iPhone.

The following resources help to inform how authentication devices can be used as a source of additional security to support more mainstream solutions

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Walmart turns digital receipts into shopping opportunities

Retail giant Walmart is introducing a digital receipt service across its 4,200 US stores, enabling shoppers to store a digital version of their receipt in a mobile app by scanning a QR code shown on their paper receipt or by entering their mobile number at the point of sale. Customers will then be able to use the receipts to create a shopping list on their device, making their in-store experience “easier and more convenient”.

How do nfc tags prevent copying?

Ten years ago, we opened our building’s front door with a badge. Five years ago we paid public transports with an RFID card. Today we pay for our bread with the same system and tomorrow we would probably be able to authenticate ourselves with something similar.

Tap and pay – weaknesses of NFC

In today’s society, technology is everywhere. If you thought there couldn’t be any more technology that you need to deal with, you would be wrong. In fact, there will probably never be a time when there is not some new innovation that you have to think about in the future. The question that you should always consider, however, is this: should we be using that technology and is it safe and secure to use? This brings us to a recent technology that has come out over the past few years – Tap and Pay.

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