Technology"
Ellen "Blink Caruso and Lauren Rutkowski November 6, 2006 JP Morgan Chase, the largest credit card issuer in the United States, started implementing "Blink Technology" in its credit cards this May 2006. The new technology will make purchasing goods with credit cards much easier and faster. Currently, a credit card requires a "swipe" and signature, but the new RFID technology will allow a simple "wave" of the card to confirm a purchase. Radio Frequency Identification Devices currently are used in several different products. Currently, Walmart uses RFID technology to track its inventory, and I-Pass tollbooths use RFID to deduct payments from drivers. In the case of credit cards, the cards will be waved in front of "readers/terminals", and payments for goods will automatically be charged to the customer's account. The RFIDs used will follow certain regulations set by the International Standardization Organization. The RFIDs will have ISO 7810 and 14443 requirements, which will maintain the credit card size, weight and operating range. RFIDs are available in the active or passive state. Active RFIDs require batteries, but are continuously "on" and emitting energy (example: I-Pass). Passive RFIDs require the magnetic field of a separate device to activate the microchip (example: ID badges for work). Passive RFIDs are less expensive than RFIDs active because of the battery power, and will be used in credit cards. The process of activating a passive RFID through a magnetic field can best be described by Faraday's Law (or induction). The antenna, or coil of wire, experiences an electromotive force once exposed to a magnetic field. The force causes an electric current to flow through the coil, and to the microchip. Thus, any magnetic field could cause these passive RFIDs to activate, which raises countless concern from credit card users. One concern is the problem of two terminals in close proximity creates a much larger reader range (30 feet) than the intended range of four inches. Criminals, or cashiers, easily could manipulate the terminals to read all customers credit card information from the moment the door to the store is open. The security risks involved with credit ...