Post #4383032

2026-08-04 17:16 UTC

@alice@lgbtqia.space @deviantollam@defcon.social Dear security-minded nerds, what are your thoughts on zapping the mag stripe from credit cards (with like a neodymium)? I remembered @deviantollam@defcon.social 's video on deleting the RFID functionality from a card, but I wonder if in current year if chip-only is a viable way of life. I recently got my debit card number gotten and while I am uncertain if it was a fishy Chinese electronics seller or a gas station skimmer, I'm now rethinking how I pay for things. Of course, ultimately the easiest thing to do is simply use a credit card that gets paid off automatically. That way my rent money can't be yoinked while I wait for my credit union to figure out if they want to credit me back.

Replies (3)

@alice@lgbtqia.space 2026-08-04 20:57

@wbud@tech.lgbt my card doesn't tap, and I've never used the stripe, but I've had places insert it and charge me without requiring the PIN (though I think that only goes up to like $20 or $100 before it requires the PIN). I haven't thought about disabling the magnetic strip, but it wouldn't have effected me thus far if I had. @deviantollam@defcon.social

Open ##4383028
@vees@jawns.club 2026-08-04 20:55

@wbud@tech.lgbt @alice@lgbtqia.space @deviantollam@defcon.social With the laws we have in place debit cards simply leave the consumer with unreasonable risk compared to credit

Open ##4384507
@bob_zim@infosec.exchange 2026-08-04 23:10

@wbud@tech.lgbt Several years ago, US payment processors did what was called the “liability shift”. The networks now largely disclaim liability for fraud via magstripe-only transactions as a way to push the long tail of stores which accept credit cards to update to EMV-capable terminals. That tail is *really long*, though. I personally have paid for things exclusively with NFC via phone or watch for the last few years, but I live in a pretty big city. The more rural you get, the more likely you are to run into a store with an older terminal. I would keep at least one emergency use card with a magstripe, but I would feel comfortable removing the stripe from my primary card.

Open ##4385702