Prototype
Straight from the lab: technology’s first draft.
PIN on the Go
If you worry that one day someone will steal your credit card number, protection may be on the way. Swivel Technologies of Knaresborough, England, has developed a credit card system that generates a fresh, unpredictable number for every transaction
A user who registers with Swivel receives a four-digit personal identification number that can be used on a cell phone, computer, personal digital assistant or any other device equipped with Swivel’s software. When this PIN is entered, the Swivel software generates a random 10-digit sequence that, in combination with the PIN, produces a unique one-time code; that code is transmitted to Swivel’s server, which authenticates the transaction. Interception of the wireless signal would do a would-be thief no good, because the transaction code is generated anew each time. The Swivel system can be used with existing digital phones as well as those based on higher-bandwidth “third-generation” (3G) wireless technology. The patented system should be commercially available within two years.
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