Useful links:
Council News | Council Press Releases | sQuid schemes - Council

eMoney News

Contactless smart cards could boost security
22 Apr 2010

Contactless smart cards could be increasingly used as part of 21st-century authentication systems, as the move towards a cashless society continues unabated.

The Smart Card Alliance (SCA) has this week called for a two-factor authentication system with smart cards to be developed, which it believes could see the technology putting a stop to medical identity fraud.

Its Healthcare Council issued a brief outlining the growing threat posed by the theft of medical records.

However, the SCA body concluded that contactless smart card technology could provide the ideal means of protecting confidential patient information.

Randy Vanderhoof, executive director of the SCA, highlighted medical expenses, insurance problems and inaccurate medical histories as some of the problems that could result from insecure systems.

"To prevent this, patients need an unambiguous way to identify themselves to their healthcare provider when accessing patient records or requesting healthcare services, whether it be in person or over a network," he said.

"Two-factor authentication with smart cards can accomplish this, and decrease medical identity theft."

In the UK, sQuid has been creating innovative new uses for contactless smart cards, including cashless catering and transit systems.