Which begs the question, if all micros are as insecure as some have said, just how secure are smartcards? In the UK we are in the process of replacing swipe cards with 'Chip and Pin' as they like to call it. The driving reason for this is better security - there have been big problems with staff in restuarants for example, cloning swipe cards and also with ATMs fitted with a card cloner and camera to capture the users PIN.

Chip and Pin is supposed to prevent these but if chips are basically insecure the criminals will soon have the kit to crack and clone them (if they don't already).

Ian