Samsung one step closer to biometric payment cards arrival with integrated chip launch

Samsung has introduced a new all-in-one integrated circuit (IC) for fingerprint security as its next step into the biometric payment card market.

The electronics giant was relatively quiet in the field, but it took recent moves to join, such as a memorandum of understanding in 2021 with Mastercard to develop fingerprint-enabled dual interface cards.

Samsung calls the IC for cards ‘S3B512C.’ The IC is said to be certified to EMVCo and Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level (CC EAL) 6+ and to perform in line with Mastercard’s latest Biometric Evaluation Plan Summary (BEPS) specifications for biometric payment cards.

Kenny Han, vice president of System LSI marketing at Samsung Electronics, says the S3B512C combines a fingerprint sensor, secure element (SE) and a secure processor, which add layers of security.

The South Korean company claims the S3B512C is the industry’s first all-in-one security chip solution that brings combines a fingerprint sensor, a tamper-proof SE for encrypted data, and a secure processor. Samsung says the fingerprint data is encrypted and stored in a SE that is also equipped with a proprietary fingerprint authentication algorithm and a secure processor that analyzes the unique features of the fingerprint placed on the sensor. The chip’s anti-spoofing technology is also said to prevent artificial fingerprints from spoofing its security system.

Samsung says the biometric payment card will be faster and safer as it eliminates the need to type in a PIN, and prevents lost or stolen cards from being used for fraudulent payments as it requires verification from the holder’s fingerprint.

Han adds, “The S3B512C is primarily designed for payment cards but can also be used in cards that require highly secured authentications such as student or employee identification, membership or building access.”

Biometric payment cards can alternatively use Infineon’s integration with Fingerprint Cards for matching within the secure element or with Idex Biometrics for a biometric-system-on-chip utilizing a security controller chip.

Article Topics

biometric cards  |  biometric payments  |  biometrics  |  data protection  |  presentation attack detection  |  research and development  |  Samsung  |  secure element  |  spoof detection