Wonder Device MagSpoof Fools the Magnetic Stripe Reader: Safe or Unsafe?

The small circuitry piece of hardware developed by Samy Kamkar is a quarter-size device. This is a wireless tool that can deceive the magnetic stripe readers. The tiny circuitry piece generates heavy magnetic space to emulate the figures held on it and enable the stripe readers to think that the cards have been swiped.

Samy Kamkar developed 'Magspoof' to help the magstripes and credit cards to be stored in one device.

As reported in Gizmodo, Magspoof is a very simple device made from the off-the-shelf electronic mechanism. It consists of an L293D H-bridge to drive the electromagnet, an Atmel ATtiny85 microcontroller, a coil of simple magnetic wire, a few simple LEDs, switches, and resistors, and a small 100mAh 3.7V lipo battery.

Magspoof device imitates a magnetic stripe by rapidly altering the electromagnet polarization. Similar to the standard magnet stripes, this tool creates a forceful space as strong as the magnet that compels you to think it is being swiped. Any sort of wireless receiver, RFID or NFC or is not required by the magstripe reader which makes it the best wonder device in the industry. The standard magstripe readers can also be used for the Magspoof to work wirelessly. The distance between its use can be determined by the strength of the electromagnet. The stronger is the magnet, the further away can be the use.

One thing must be noted that although the legendary hacker, Kamkar made this device with such a design that can be used for any despicable purposes but, he do not intend to do so.

According to the IndustryTrap reports, "MagSpoof does not enable you to use credit cards that you are not legally authorized to use," Kamkar writes on GitHub, adding that "MagSpoof requires you to have/own the magstripes that you wish to emulate."

It is believed that the Magspoof can easily detect your AMEX card number before a new card is received by you. When the US people are busy grappling the card frauds, Samy Kamkar questions the protection of the payment cards.

According to the PC World reports, the canceled card number is enough for the MagSpoof device to foretell the new American Express card number. Based on the date of a request for the replacement card, the prediction for the new expiration date can also be made.

The cyber criminals can pose a danger as an old card access can lead them to predict the new card number even before the sufferer receives it. In spite of Kamkar's notification to the AMEX officials in the month of August, they did not think it was a key concern. The officials are not available for comments either.

This interesting tiny hardware piece is the most powerful device that has the powers to produce wonders as well as create havoc. We can just hope the best to happen.