Fraud-Proofing Credit Cards Through Quantum Physics

Researchers at the University of Twente and the Eindhoven University of Technology have come up with what they claim is an unprecedentedly secure way to authenticate credit cards, IDs, biometrics, and parties involved in quantum cryptography. The method -- quantum-secure authentication of optical keys -- basically consists of sending a beam of light at cards treated with a special paint and using the reflection as the authentication mechanism. It employes coherent states of light with a low mean photon number.