Experiments in Security: Magstripe Reading Using Rust Particles
Tetherdcow via BoingBoing has a great science experiment to try with magstripes on credit cards and other ID cards: using rust particles to read the magstripe. This looks like a great hands on and visible way to talk about how data is encoded when teaching students.
3 comments:
Ultra-cheap (no special hardware) magstripe reader: Rust particles and iCamera. Let software read the stripes by examining the picture.
Of course, the vial of very fine rust particles might be a bit messier than a cheap card reader!
Still, this is something I'm going to have to try next time I get to teach a security course with a good camera system available.
I wonder if magnetic film would work? I used to have some of this as a kid: http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_3082237
Not sure if the resolution is quite as high as the iron filings, though. Definitely less messy.
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