Thieves use residual heat left from fingers entering pin code to crack password

Saw this on the front page of youtube


For those that can't see it. Basically thieves use an infrared device to snap a picture of the keypad you entered your pin on. From the residual heat they can determine the order in which the buttons were pressed.

His suggestion is a good idea.

Simply place your fingers on the other buttons to allow the heat signature to coat buttons that you have not actually pressed.

Chinese-Dragon said:

His suggestion is a good idea.

Simply place your fingers on the other buttons to allow the heat signature to coat buttons that you have not actually pressed.

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or at the end just palm the whole thing.

Even if they find out the pin code they will require the card

Soumitra said:

Even if they find out the pin code they will require the card

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They can pickpocket the card.

But if they don't know the pin number then it is pointless for them to do that.

Peter C said:

or at the end just palm the whole thing.

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Yep good idea.

Though no doubt the next generation of credit card readers will have some sort of counter-measure. Randomly heating the keypad buttons based on an RNG, an extendable cover for the keypad, using a material that either quickly or slowly absorbs heat, etc.

Chinese-Dragon said:

They can pickpocket the card.

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If they can pickpocket it then they can simply steal the money using the contact less payment system or the old school way.

cloud_9 said:

If they can pickpocket it then they can simply steal the money using the contact less payment system or the old school way.

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Yeah I guess they could steal it other ways as well.

Plus ATM machines generally limit how much cash you can withdraw every day.

Peter C said:

or at the end just palm the whole thing.

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I usually hide it in ATMs but not in stores or pubs while paying.. may be I should pay by credit card only...

hinduguy said:

I usually hide it in ATMs but not in stores or pubs while paying.. may be I should pay by credit card only...

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I only use my debit card at ATMs. In fact I think technically it isn't even a debit card since I asked them not to put a visa logo on it so I guess it is considered just an old fashioned ATM card, I use credit cards or cash everywhere else.