Visa cards are vulnerable: The method that can hack them in just 6 seconds

In this article, we are not going to explain how to hack a bank account, but rather to discuss a study conducted by researchers at Newcastle University. They demonstrated that it is possible to hack a Visa card in just 6 seconds with a simple internet connection. This discovery highlights the vulnerability of the Visa payment system and raises questions about the security of online transactions.

The “Mass Guessing” technique for finding the necessary information

In order to retrieve the various pieces of information needed to hack a Visa card (card number, expiration date, and security code), a simple bot connected to several merchant sites may suffice. This bot uses a technique called Mass Guessinga massive guessing game for missing information.

• The robot connects to several merchant sites to find the card's expiration date.
• Once the expiration date has been found, it attempts to guess the security code by testing all possible combinations.
• In less than 6 seconds, the robot is able to find the two elements needed to have a usable bank card.

Visa vs MasterCard: different detection systems

The study also revealed that this hacking method only works on Visa cards. This is because the MasterCard network has a centralized system capable of detecting this type of attack after fewer than 10 unsuccessful attempts on different networks. As a result, MasterCard cards appear to be better defended against this guessing hacking technique.

Flaws in the Visa payment system

The vulnerability of Visa cards is based on two major flaws in their detection system:

1. Visa allows an unlimited number of attempts for each field on the card during an online transaction, enabling hackers to use the “mass guessing” method to quickly discover all the necessary information.
2. Merchant sites have different requirements regarding the information needed to validate a transaction, which makes it easier for hackers.

Consequences for customers and businesses: the example of Tesco

Researchers believe that this method was likely used in the cyberattack on Tesco, which caused financial losses of around £2.5 million to its customers. This case clearly illustrates the potentially disastrous consequences of such security breaches for customers and businesses.

The importance of protection against online fraud

Mohammed Ali, a doctoral student at Newcastle University, explains that even with just the first six digits of a credit card number, a hacker can obtain all the necessary information in a matter of seconds. This discovery highlights the importance of protecting against online fraud, especially during the holiday season when the number of online purchases increases significantly.

How can you protect yourself against this threat?

To avoid falling victim to this hacking method, here are a few tips:

• Use bank cards with enhanced security systems for online transactions, such as those offered by MasterCard.
• Check your bank statements regularly and report any suspicious transactions to your bank.
• Avoid using public WiFi connections to make online purchases.

In conclusion, this study highlights a major flaw in the Visa payment system, and serves as a reminder that protection against online fraud is a major issue for customers and businesses alike. Whether you use an online bank or not, it's vital to take the necessary steps to make your transactions as secure as possible, and limit the risks associated with this method of piracy, which takes just six seconds to implement.

How to hack a contactless bank card

In this video you can find out how some people manage to do it: