Decoding Contactless Card Payments

Explore the technical intricacies of contactless card payments and mobile payment systems in this 58-minute conference talk from the 34th Chaos Communication Congress. Dive into the protocols and techniques driving NFC transactions at point-of-sale terminals, and gain a comprehensive understanding of how Apple Pay and Android Pay function on a technical level. Learn about different NFC payment options, the persistence of legacy systems, and the specific payment workflows implemented by various card brands. Examine the roles of different parties involved in card transactions, compare chip (ICC) and contactless (NFC) transactions, and discover the fundamental differences between mobile payment systems using Secure Elements (SE) and Hosted Card Emulation (HCE). Conclude with insights into the future of contactless payments, the continued dominance of legacy systems, and the potential benefits of tokenization in securing transactions.