massive data theft at MasterCard processor

[Ka-Ping Yee]

On Fri, 17 Jun 2005, Steven M. Bellovin wrote:
> Designing a system that deflects this sort of attack is challenging.
> The right answer is smart cards that can digitally sign transactions,
> but that would require rolling out new readers to all the merchants.

I was amazed to hear of the UK's fast progress in rolling out their
Chip-and-PIN system.  I would not have guessed that they could get
about 85% of cardholders to switch and 75% of retail equipment
upgraded by the end of 2004, only 15 months after the beginning of
the rollout.

    http://www.chipandpin.co.uk/reflib/super_barometer_2004.pdf

Naturally, conditions are different in the United States, but it's
still an impressive result.


-- ?!ng

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