Samsung has announced the S3B512C security chip, its new fingerprint security chip developed in partnership with Mastercard, designed primarily for payment cards (via Engadget). According to the company, the chip is the ‘industry’s first all-in-one security chip solution’ and would be able to provide faster and safer interactions while making purchases. Because Samsung’s chip uses biometric authentication, the chip would also remove the need to enter your PIN code on a keypad. The S3B512C chip has a fingerprint sensor as well as a tamper-proof secure element (SE) that meets international security requirements, and a secure processor. The chip captures the user’s biometric data via its fingerprint sensor. Then, using the SE, it stores and authenticates the received information. After that, the chip analyzes the data by using its secure processor.
With its biometric authentication, Samsung’s security chip may prevent fraudulent transactions which could otherwise be made with lost or stolen traditional cards. Because it has securely saved the owner’s fingerprint, a card using Samsung’s chip will check if the person performing the transaction is indeed the rightful owner. The chip also utilizes anti-spoofing technology, which prevents unauthorized users from fooling the security system using tactics such as artificial fingerprints. According to Samsung, although the S3B512C chip is primarily designed for payment cards, it could also be used in cards intended for highly secure authentication, such as student or employee access cards. In addition, by utilizing a fingerprint sensor, a tamper-proof secure element, and a secure processor, the S3B512C may assist card makers in reducing the number of required chips in manufacturing biometric payment cards and might help optimize card design processes.
Although Samsung’s new security chip sounds very promising, currently, there is no information on when Mastercard will implement Samsung’s new chip.
Currently, Mastercard offers fingerprint-authenticated payment cards, but they are not as secure as the new Samsung chip and don’t use anti-spoofing technology.
