Visa and MasterCard have invented a new plastic card protection scheme, Apple will pioneer

The largest operators of payment systems Visa Inc. and MasterCard Inc. have developed a new technology to protect data cards users, based on the use of a unique code, confirming the identity of the owner, writes The Wall Street Journal.

This measure is the next step in the fight against online criminals who kidnap data card users. Particularly vulnerable are usually retailers, which store information about purchases made by customers using plastic cards, but are not at the same time experts in computer security.

Under the new scheme, when the exchange of information between stores and banks, card issuers will use a unique identification number. Due to the shops will not see or store user data and will no longer be a target for fraudsters. According to experts, this innovation will be particularly useful for owners of establishments that store user data for making regular payments - for example, payment of membership in a fitness club.

Recently, cybercriminals have stolen the data of 70 million customers Target retail chain. Smaller-scale attacks were carried out at grocery stores servers Albertons, Acme and Jewel-Osco, as well as the Asian restaurants P.F.Chang's China Bistro. On the possible data leakage told the operator stores the goods for Home Depot home.

According to research firm Javelin Strategy Research, in 2013, losses from fraud with bank accounts and credit cards increased by 45% compared with the previous year and amounted to $ 16 billion.

It is expected that the new payment scheme will be implemented in the iPhone 6, which may be represented already on 9 September. Earlier, Bloomberg, citing sources reported about Apple's partnership with Visa and MasterCard to create a mobile payment system, as well as on the development of short-range contactless communication technology (near field communication, NFC) for the new iPhone.