As someone involved in the US smartcard arena, a little more background is
offered for those interest in this emerging technology......
>I remember Ian, Adam, <someone else> and I talking about the
>card-in-a-floppy thing at CFP '96.
>
>Soulda, woulda, coulda, and all that...
>
>Cheers,
>RAH
>
>
>New Hardware Could Help Web Merchants Cut Fraud
>
>Credit card companies love the Internet, since they pocket a share of most
>e-commerce transactions. But like everything in the world of revolving
>credit, that love has limits. Stolen cards used to make purchases online,
>in particular, cost credit card issuers millions each year -- pushing the
>price of doing business on the Web higher for banks, merchants and,
>ultimately, users.
>
Transaction fraud is important to credit card companies as are the liability
issues. Credit card companies are in legal hot water over card holders
payment of illegal internet activities such as gaming in states where gaming
is not permited. In recent action on a case in California, a credit card
user is sueing over $70,000 debt because the credit card company allowed
them payment access to gaming services.
>So even as the major credit card companies and the banks that issue those
>cards explore ways to build Internet market share, they are also looking
>for creative ways to limit fraud.
>
Consumer and merchant authentication is also high on the agenda.
>The recent launch of the American Express blue card, which comes with an
>embedded computer chip, is an example of both efforts. Since the card's
>chip can access a user's personal information, it will eliminate the hassle
>of typing in that data in every Web purchase -- and, American Express
>hopes, encourage people to use its card. At the same time, the chip limits
>the fraud by guaranteeing the shopper's identity and offering greater
>protection to the buyer's information during the transaction.
The AMEX Blue Card is the start of a flood of bank smartcard initiatives.
The smartcard "chip" opens up alternative business opportunities to banks,
provide card market differentiation and establish a smartcard
infrastructure.
Loyalty, electronic purse, micropayments, authentication, security etc as
well as desktop preferences, browser bookmarks and even software licensing
will migrate to smartcard technology. Smartcards will also appear in
internet appliances in the future as they do today in GSM mobile phones and
satellite TV receivers.
The cards also have very sophisticated crypto capabilities. We are
constantly in process of overseas and domestic export applications
addressing both hardware and software crypto issues.
Those interested can check out smartcard industry sites such as
www.smartcardforum.org or www.smartcardcentral.com as starting points. Both
SUN and MSFT have sites dedicated smartcard OS and Visa has info on bank
related smartcard standards.
Ricki Boyle.
smime.p7s
