Content by Mathew J. Schwartz

Researchers Hack Visa EMV Flaw

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 3, 2014

A foreign currency flaw in Visa's EMV-based contactless payment card system in the U.K. could be abused to commit fraud using NFC-enabled Android devices, researchers say. But Visa discounts the possibility of real-world attacks succeeding.

Fixing Two-Factor Failures

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  October 23, 2014

As numerous attacks have demonstrated, two-factor authentication systems are not foolproof, says Ryan Lackey, a principal in the security practice at CloudFlare, who offers insights on how today's authentication systems must evolve.

Staples Launches Breach Investigation

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  October 21, 2014

Staples has confirmed that it's investigating a potential data breach after a report warned that elevated levels of payment card fraud had recently been tied to card numbers used by consumers who shopped at the office supply retailer.

Chase Breach: 5 Lessons for Europe

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  October 13, 2014

If hackers can infiltrate JPMorgan Chase, is any financial institution safe? How can they better defend themselves? Information security experts share top lessons learned for European financial firms.

Infographic: A Guide to Apple Pay

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  September 29, 2014

When the new Apple Pay mobile payment system launches in October in the United States, it could help improve payment security. This infographic reviews the system's features and how to put them to use.

Apple iPhone 6 Touch ID Hacked

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  September 23, 2014

A researcher says he tricked the Touch ID biometric fingerprint scanner built into the new iPhone 6, using a fake fingerprint created with glue. But it remains to be seen how well would-be fraudsters could employ this technique.

Apple Pay: How It Will Work

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  September 19, 2014

The new Apple Pay mobile payment system isn't going to kill credit cards. But when it launches next month in the United States, the system could help improve payment security. Learn how Apple Pay works.

Apple Pay: Global Expansion Planned

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  September 15, 2014

While the new Apple Pay system is slated to debut next month in the United States, payment card brands say the system eventually will expand to some of the other 66 countries that already accept contactless payments.

7 Apple Breach Business Lessons

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  September 4, 2014

To avoid the corporate equivalent of the recent celebrity photo dump from iCloud, enterprise security managers must add stronger password, encryption and authentication controls to mobile devices.

Supermarket Chain Reveals New Breach

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  August 15, 2014

The U.S.-based Supervalu supermarket chain is investigating a network intrusion that may have resulted in criminals compromising customer data from point-of-sale systems at 180 stores in 25 states.

Fraudsters Target London Restaurants

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  August 14, 2014

Scammers, posing as bank employees, are telephoning restaurants and asking them to call a provided number and have cardholders answer "security questions" before accepting any card for payment.

EU to Roll Out Cybercrime Taskforce

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  July 22, 2014

The EU Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce pilot is set to coordinate cross-border investigations - across Europe, the United States and beyond - into cybercrime, including payment card fraud, DDoS attacks and malware rings.

Malware Bypasses 2-Factor Authentication

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  July 22, 2014

An online gang with ties to Romania and Russia has been bypassing two-factor, Android-based authentication systems - used by 34 different banks to authenticate customers - via the sophisticated Operation Emmental cybercrime campaign.

Researcher: Cryptolocker Not Dead Yet

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  July 21, 2014

Despite official suggestions to the contrary, the Cryptolocker ransomware isn't dead yet, even as new types of ransomware continue to flood onto black market cybercrime forums, one researcher claims.

ATM Malware Attacks Rise in Europe

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  July 9, 2014

Criminals have begun targeting ATMs in Western Europe using malware, as well as a new generation of stealthier skimmers designed to capture card data and PIN codes. But the stolen data is often used for fraud elsewhere, especially the U.S.