Ingenico launches ViewSafe in bid to cut out shoulder surfing

Published on Friday 2 February 2007 01:47

TECHNOLOGY designed to cut down on "shoulder surfing" at chip and PIN terminals is to be rolled out across the UK by Fife-based Ingenico after a successful trial at Boots the Chemist.

The device, which takes the form of a magnifying case encompassing a regular PIN pad, distorts the view available from any other angle by a casual observer. Visually impaired users who often find standard pads difficult to use also stand to benefit.

Ingenico, whose main British operation in Dalgety Bay employs about 200 people, will initially target the UK, where the firm has close to a 50 per cent share of the chip and PIN market, before rolling out "ViewSafe" globally.

It follows the signing of a worldwide licensing deal with Secure Access Solutions (SAS), a University of Warwick spin-out company that developed the magnifying system.

Gary Knox, strategic business development manager at Ingenico UK, said the market was "potentially worth millions".

He said: "In the UK and Ireland alone you have around 900,000 point of sale units. We have found that some fraudsters are going back to the old ways in terms of 'shoulder surfing' users and stealing cards.

"ViewSafe has been designed to fit on virtually every type of pin pad out there. SAS are doing the design work and we will manufacture and sell the product."

SAS founder Neil Radford added: "The enhanced view is of great value to any user standing directly in front of the key pad because ViewSafe delivers an extra layer of security and improved accessibility in one simple easy to use device."

The trial took place in a Cambridge branch of Boots. Ingenico is likely to target major banks, which have to shoulder much of the cost resulting from card fraud.