Thread: Security of Oyster Cards
View Single Post
  #12   Report Post  
Old November 18th 03, 07:21 PM posted to uk.transport.london
Mike Harrison Mike Harrison is offline
external usenet poster
  
First recorded activity at LondonBanter: Aug 2003
Posts: 9
Default Security of Oyster Cards
On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 18:50:53 +0000, Paul Corfield wrote:

On 18 Nov 2003 03:47:35 -0800, (Matthew) wrote:

I am interested in the mechanics of these cards, which are smart cards
for use on London's transport system. One would hope given the
reported £1billion+ that they are secure.
[snip]
I don't know if the mechanics system of this are documented anywhere,
or have been analyzed by anyone independent, but I am wondering about
the cryptographic approach used for this system.
[snip]

I can see potentially two (or three) ways of doing this system:
[snip]
Any insights better than mine into how the system works, and where
vulnerabilites lie would be welcomed.

...and more importantly, what strategies have been built into the system to cope when (not if) they
are hacked. Anyone deigning a system on the assumption that it is totally secure is a fool, although
can we expect any better from the morons who run most things in the UK ?




Reply With QuoteReply With Quote