Mobile device prevention of contactless card attacks
AssigneeEmpire Technology Development LLC
InventorsKevin Fine, Ezekiel Kruglick
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Technologies related to mobile device prevention of contactless card attacks are generally described. In some examples, a mobile computing device may monitor for electromagnetic signals at frequencies used for short range communications with contactless cards. Detection of such electromagnetic signals by the mobile computing device may indicate an attack attempt on a proximal contactless card. In response to detection of such electromagnetic signals, the mobile computing device may automatically generate a disruption signal effective to disrupt communications between contactless card readers and any proximal contactless cards, to thereby foil the attack before sensitive contactless card data is stolen.
Claims21
A mobile computing device method to prevent contactless card attacks, comprising:
- monitoring, by a mobile computing device comprising a Near Field Communications (NFC) module, the NFC module for passive communication mode NFC signals comprising encoded signatures;
- detecting, by the mobile computing device, during the monitoring of the NFC module, a passive communication mode NFC signal comprising an encoded signature;
- in response to detecting the passive communication mode NFC signal comprising the encoded signature, automatically transmitting, by the mobile computing device, a battery powered NFC disruption signal, wherein the NFC disruption signal comprises a passive communication mode NFC response frequency, and wherein the NFC disruption signal comprises a passive Proximity Integrated Circuit Card (PICC) subcarrier frequency modulated by a bit stream effective to disrupt NFC communications between a proximal Proximity Coupling Device (PCD) and a proximal PICC;
- and
- pausing, by the mobile computing device, the monitoring of the NFC module during use of the NFC module by an NFC application at the mobile computing device.
A mobile computing device configured to prevent contactless card attacks, comprising:
- a Near Field Communications (NFC) module;
- a battery;
- a processor;
- a memory;
- and
- a contactless card attack preventer stored in the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the contactless card attack preventer is configured to:
- monitor the NFC module for passive communication mode NFC signals comprising encoded signatures;
- detect, during monitoring of the NFC module, a passive communication mode NFC signal comprising an encoded signature;
- in response to detecting the passive communication mode NFC signal comprising the encoded signature, automatically transmit a battery powered NFC disruption signal, wherein the NFC disruption signal comprises a passive communication mode NFC response frequency, and wherein the NFC disruption signal comprises a passive Proximity Integrated Circuit Card (PICC) subcarrier frequency modulated by a bit stream effective to disrupt NFC communications between a proximal Proximity Coupling Device (PCD) and a proximal PICC;
- and
- pause monitoring of the NFC module during use of the NFC module by an NFC application at the mobile computing device.
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer executable instructions executable by a processor at a mobile device, the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
- monitor a Near Field Communications (NFC) module within the mobile device for passive communication mode NFC signals comprising encoded signatures;
- detect, during monitoring of the NFC module, a passive communication mode NFC signal comprising an encoded signature;
- in response to detecting the passive communication mode NFC signal comprising the encoded signature, automatically transmit a battery powered NFC disruption signal, wherein the NFC disruption signal comprises a passive communication mode NFC response frequency, and wherein the NFC disruption signal comprises a passive Proximity Integrated Circuit Card (PICC) subcarrier frequency modulated by a bit stream effective to disrupt NFC communications between a proximal Proximity Coupling Device (PCD) and a proximal PICC;
- and
- pause monitoring of the NFC module during use of the NFC module by an NFC application at the mobile computing device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.