PINsentry and Card Readers

[thom_horne (Thomas Horne)]

I’m unsure if this topic has come up here before, but I would like to commend Monzo for not including the technology or required applications for PINsentry / card readers to work on Monzo cards.

I only found this out through curiosity tonight when sorting through my bag and finding an old NatWest card reader. Upon putting my Monzo card in it states that the card is not recognised / wrong card.

I love this as when using a card reader it will state whether the PIN entered is correct or not… I believe this is a MASSIVE flaw in the implementation of these readers and either way a code should be calculated, correct PIN or not. As the banks system already knows what a correct code will be anyway, I believe there’s less harm in giving an incorrect code.

I feel that essentially all these devices could potentially help in the commission of crime in that a mugger can easily tell if a PIN given under duress is correct or not with most banks cards.

I feel more secure knowing my bank card DOESN’T have this feature inbuilt.

[Liam_W]

I’ve never thought of it that way before… and now you mention it, I do wonder which AID it’s using.

Even more annoyingly, those readers will block your offline PIN if you enter it incorrectly three times. Which I don’t think it should, but then again it uses the PIN, so it must.

[gallifreyangirl]

Very good point @thom_horne and have never tried my Monzo card in my card Barclays reader.