What Is Near-Field Communication (NFC)? How Does It Work?
Reading Time: 4 minutesYou probably use it all the time for contactless payments, but how does NFC actually work?
Nowadays, contactless payments are commonplace. The technology that facilitates contactless payments is known as NFC, which stands for near-field communication. NFC has a range of uses but can, unfortunately, be abused by cybercriminals. So, what is near-field communication, how is it used, and what risks are associated with it?
What Is NFC?
NFC is a wireless technology that lets devices communicate over a short range. And by short, we mean very short. NFC has a maximum range of around ten centimeters. Because of this, near-field communication is not suitable for GPS tracking, streaming, social communications, and other functions that require a long-distance connection.
Rather, NFC is specifically designed for the exchange of communication between two NFC-enabled objects. In other words, both parties need to have the NFC feature active and be within proximity to communicate using this method. For example, if two smartphones were to communicate using NFC, both would need the NFC feature active. Oftentimes, your device won’t come with the NFC feature enabled, so you’ll have to activate it yourself if you want to use it.
Now, let’s get into the background of NFC and how it works.
Near-field communication is a type of RFID (radio-frequency identification). RFID dates back to the early 1980s and uses a receiver and transmitter for identification. A tag will transmit an identification number, which the receiver will pick up on and verify. This technology is now widely used in supply chain management, livestock tracking, logistics, and many other areas. Even keycards that you may use at offices or hotels use RFID.
The invention of RFID more or less signified the invention of NFC, too. However, while RFID can only be used for one-way communication, NFC supports two-way communication, which opens more doors in terms of application. How NFC is used often separates it from RFID.
So, how is near-field communication being used today?
How Is NFC Used?
NFC has become popular in recent years due to its application in contactless payments. Before NFC, it was customary to insert your credit or debit card into the payment terminal or swipe it. But with NFC, people can make payments quickly without having to make any physical contact with the terminal.
Commonly used smartphone NFC payment apps included Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay (though the latter two can now be found as features within the Samsung Wallet and Google Wallet apps.
NFC became even more popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, wherein commonly touched items, such as payment terminals, could be interacted with from a short distance. This lowered the chance of picking up virus particles from payment terminals, so it’s no surprise that many began gravitating toward this technology. Some countries even increased the contactless payment limit so that it could be used on bigger purchases, such as weekly grocery hauls.
Though NFC is mostly known for its application in quicker payment processing, things don’t stop there. NFC can be used in many ways, including smart ticketing. This allows individuals to have their e-tickets scanned and verified via NFC upon entry to events. Many NFC payment apps now support smart ticketing.
NFC technology also has utility in smart homes. For example, you could use NFC to open doors and safes. Additionally, NFC could be used in the healthcare industry. For example, a patient could quickly and contactlessly check in to their doctor’s surgery. Given that doctor’s surgeries are often associated with germs, patients may prefer a check-in option that doesn’t require physical contact.
What’s more, NFC can be used to exchange content between two devices. Videos, photos, and other files can be exchanged between NFC-enabled devices in the blink of an eye. NFC can serve as a quick and easy alternative to Bluetooth. Of course, the two devices would need to be in very close range for this to be possible. So, while you won’t have to go through the process of Bluetooth pairing to connect if you use NFC, your range will be much shorter than that offered by Bluetooth.
The Risks of NFC
It’s worth noting before we get into the risks of NFC that this technology has a number of security features in place to minimize the chances of criminal activity. Firstly, the very short range supported by NFC makes it much harder for cybercriminals to carry out scams when targeting victims. Additionally, NFC uses encryption to keep sensitive data, such as payment details, safe from the hands of malicious actors.
But this doesn’t make NFC airtight.
As is the case with many technologies today, cybercriminals have found a way to exploit NFC for their own gain. There are various risks associated with NFC because of this, including hacks.
In an NFC hack, a cybercriminal will access the victim’s phone via NFC in order to access the data stored there. Because NFC hacks can only take place via a very short distance, cybercriminals will sometimes steal a phone to access it easily.
An NFC hack can also be used to access data stored on payment terminals. Even ATMs are at risk of this kind of attack. In such a venture, the attacker could use the NFC feature on their own device to cause a malfunction within the ATM system. This could lead to the dispersal of money without the insertion of a card.
What’s particularly concerning about NFC hacks is that an attacker could clone the NFC chip you use to make payments. This would then allow them to make payments using funds within your credit or debit account.
An attacker could also carry out an NFC eavesdropping attack, wherein they pick up NFC signals by standing close to the targeted devices. But the attacker could also use an antenna to enhance their ability to harness the signal and gather data.
Alternatively, the attacker could conduct a man-in-the-middle attack using NFC, wherein the communication between a passive tag (e.g. an NFC-enabled smartphone) and an active terminal (e.g. a payment system) is intercepted to collect valuable data.
Because of the evident security risks posed by near-field communication, it’s wise to deactivate the feature on your device when it is not being used. This completely cuts off a cybercriminal’s ability to exploit your device using this communication method. You could also use PIN verification on your NFC payment app so that it cannot be used by anybody.
NFC Is a Useful Technology, but It Comes With Risks
There’s no doubt that NFC can facilitate seamless, contactless payments and also makes a range of other functions that much easier. But whether you use NFC on a daily basis or you’re considering giving it a go, it’s also important to take note of the security risks associated with this technology.
Reference: https://www.makeuseof.com/what-is-near-field-communication-how-does-it-work/
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