New technology from Beepcard, locally distributed and supported by Cirrus-TechVue, allows credit cards to be authenticated remotely by sound using a telephone, cellphone or a sound-enabled PC.
Beepcard`s ComDot card has a button that can be pressed to emit an audio encoding of the card ID and a one-time randomly generated 128-bit password. This encrypted information is relayed by any audio link - such as a telephone - to an authentication server that confirms the authenticity of the card and authorises transactions.
"The encoded information is easily transmitted in a machine-readable form, which means the authentication server and response system can be fully automated," says Chris Crozier, Cirrus-TechVue director.
"The authentication system is also safe to use on a PC because every password is used only once and cannot be forged."
Crozier says the closest technologies available are contactless smart cards and 2D credit card barcodes, but the smart cards require special readers and cannot be used remotely, and the barcodes need camera-enabled cellphones and can be copied.
Applications for the technology include Internet banking, driver`s licence authentication, card possession confirmation when ordering goods or requesting information by telephone, and authentication of personal identity.
Crozier says US healthcare companies are already using Beepcard technology. "Locally, interest has already been expressed by banking institutions, although the technology has been available in SA for only a few weeks."
Future versions of the ComDot card are likely to incorporate biometrics in the form of a fingerprint reader or voice recognition. "The technology exists to ensure the ComDot would only activate if pressed by the owner`s finger, or on command from the owner`s voice," says Crozier.
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