Security IC is the name given by Samsung to an all-in-one system designed to fit on a biometric payment card. This device concentrates two security modules and a fingerprint sensor to secure our future bank cards as much as possible.
Protecting our futures payment cards fraud or other malicious actions, it is the objective of Samsung with its security IC device “S3B512C”, announced today by the Korean giant. In one press release shared for the occasion, the firm assures that this all-in-one system is the first in the industry to combine an SE (Secure Element) module, a Secure Processor and a fingerprint sensor on a single chip.
« The S3B512C combines a fingerprint sensor, a Secure Element (SE) and a Secure Processor, adding an extra layer of authentication and security in payment cards », Comments Kenny Han, Vice President of System LSI Marketingchez Samsung Electronics. « The S3B512C is mainly designed for payment cards but can also be used in cards that require highly secure authentications such as student or employee identification, but also membership cards or those authorizing access to buildings“, he specifies.
Technology for tamper-proof cards?
In detail, and as indicated XDA Developers, the fingerprint reader is used to read biometric data. Supposed to be inviolable, the Secure Element is responsible for storing and authenticating encrypted data, while the Secure Processor analyzes and processes biometric data.
We also learn that Samsung’s all-in-one circuit uses a proprietary algorithm dedicated to fingerprint authentication. The S3B512C chip finally features technology designed to prevent identity theft. Concretely, it prevents fraudsters from being able to deceive the system with artificial fingerprints, for example.
In terms of certifications, Samsung highlights the compliance of its chip with MasterCard’s BEPS (Biometric Evaluation Plan Summary) specifications. It is also certified by EMVCo and meets the CC EAL (Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level) with a level 6+.
More practically, the presence of a fingerprint sensor on a bank card allows the user to make secure payments without having to enter a four-digit code on the payment terminal. The layer of protection offered by Samsung’s new module finally drastically reduces the risk of fraudulent transactions if the card equipped with the device is lost.
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