I want to use debit cards as keys for my home. I don't want to use additional tags. My doubt is wether credit cards are RFID cards and wether they can be read with normal RFID readers. . Each of my family member carries a debit card (we are not rich enough to have credit cards, Third world problems make me so sad =(). So, I want to use them for identification of family member for say opening the door, logging their details or some other security purpose. If they can't be read with a normal RFID reader I'll probably have to abandon this idea.
Credit and debit cards have magnetic strips which can be read (but it is also quite easy to copy this information onto a blank card). They also have little contacts to be physically read. They are not rfid devices. Contactless cards are being rolled out but I would guess that they employ quite different standards to those used for rfid.
Some of the newer cards have NFC chips in them which at least use the same frequency (13.56MHz) and if a NFC compatible shield is used, may be read. If they answer to any request not conforming to their (unknown to me) standard isn't very likely.
Some of the newer cards have NFC chips in them which at least use the same frequency (13.56MHz) and if a NFC compatible shield is used, may be read. If they answer to any request not conforming to their (unknown to me) standard isn't very likely.
Are you talking about the cards with this logo on them? (next to MC logo)
It is very easy to copy information on the magnetic strip so somebody could clone the card without you knowing, which would not be a good idea for an access system.
I guess Ufoguy is thinking the contactless element would be harder to forge.
Are you talking about the cards with this logo on them? (next to MC logo)
Yes, this is one of the signs, other cards have then name "PayPass", "PayWave" or "Expresspay" printed on them. All these cards support NFC but I don't know if you get more information about that system or information about how to communicate with the cards.
I am not sure what the benefits of contactless credit/debit card and passport technology are supposed to be. There is no hardship in using chip and pin in a shop or handing over my passport to be read at a border check.
Contactless technology opens up the possibility of my passport details being read or money extracted from my account whilst I think my passport and card are safely in my pocket or bag.
As soon as contactless technology came out people started looking for ways to covertly access it and extend the reading distance.
Here is an exploit using mobile phones to present a victim's card to a reader while he is not in proximity of the reader; http://eprint.iacr.org/2011/618.pdf
