Whats in the Box????

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

the login page will, but otherwise it's open (on the Adelantes at least)

[grahame]

the login page will, but otherwise it's open (on the Adelantes at least)

Good heavens - how on earth do they do that?  Yes, of course any http pages are unencoded, but I wasn't aware that https transmissions can be decoded and sent open.   Class 180 units are remarkable, but somehow I don't think their WiFi can buck the rules (and reasons behind) the encoding - was the WiFi equipment built in Cheltenham? 

I suspect we're talking at cross-purposes here.

[ChrisB]

we must be.....

[thetrout]

I'm not sure I want my card details transacted over a public unsecured wifi thanks....

Question for thetrout - wouldn't / won't it be https rather than http, in effect creating a robust encoding tunnel between the device (your laptop / the buffet payment terminal) and the server being reached?

Card Machines can and frequently are used over WiFi networks in Restaurants etc whether they use codes to connect or unsecured. When a waiter(ess) brings over a card machine for customer to pay that is hand held, it uses a Wireless Network or Bluetooth to process the payments.

Without knowing the setup I can only speculate

If the equipment for the WiFi is being installed in the Buffet Cars. Then I would speculate the the terminals are connected by a cable to the system. If this was done on a separate network  GPRS^▸ (General Packet Radio Service) Connection. This would be effectively like a card machine telephoning the merchant bank via a dialup modem. Many card machines still do this to this day.

End of the speculation.

I think ChrisB is referring to a Wireless Network which has a code to access (Referred to as WPA2-PSK, WPA-PSK or WEP) vs a Wireless Network that is open and no passcode. In reality anyone who believes Wireless Networks using WEP, WPA2-PSK or WPA-PSK are secure has stumbled into fictitious legend.

I'm not 100% familiar of how the card machines transmit the data. But I do know it can be hacked whether it is on a fixed line connection or not. Usually this would be done by an organised cyber criminal who would be using a hacked chip and pin machine. There was a BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Panorama program on this a while back which explained the idea and the flaws with Chip and PIN.

In the most part however. The chip and pin machines communicating to the bank networks is secure end to end whether it goes over a public connection or not. I'm not familiar fully with the process and it's a long time since I have fitted a card machine for a client. I do know that when the card machines get reset following a failure, you need to authorize the terminal ID with the bank again. Otherwise they WILL NOT to work! So there is an element of security there also.

I've got to dash and catch 1A37 now, I will expand on this later. Please post further questions if you like. And please don't think WPA2-PSK and WPA-PSK and certainly WEP is secure. It is nowhere near as secure as you think