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Ask HN: Could secure offline transactions be possible?
Offline transactions are available on many of our system : machine distributor card, local transport card, Visa/Mastercard payments.
On the firsts case (machine distributor), the amount/credit is saved inside the card without a global synchronization mechanism; so an attacker could read/change the card, generate new money and put them in the network. (http://esec-pentest.sogeti.com/post/playing-with-nfc-for-fun-and-coffee)
On the second one (cardlocal transport card), Tthe balance isn't stored centrally on oyster cards - rather changes are uploaded to the central system IF you have registered it, at the end of the day. (https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/2dmasr/has_there_ever_been_a_case_of_someone_hacking/)
On the last case (Visa/Mastercard), the operation should be saved on the card and on the reader POS devices (POS). Most of the Credit Card Processors (like Square) accept transactions while in Offline Mode will be processed when you regain internet connectivity within 72 hours.
( https://squareup.com/help/us/en/article/5095-process-payments-with-offline-mode )
Is it possible build some extra features for offline system to increase the security? (ok.. cryptology is a suggestion but not a solution)
PS: on the other hand, bitcoin network is completely distributed and totally synchronized by nature.
- AdmiralBeotch 11y agoI have been doing offline transaction in bitcoin for years now. Private keys on the offline system sign unsigned transactions from an online computer and the interaction is completely over an airgap (webcams and qr codes on/from either side). Electrum is primarily what I use to do this, but there is an android app called Bither that does essentially the same thing. Additionally, the Electrum 2.4 client has multi-sig features and it is very easy to setup and use so the security of your funds is distributed across multiple devices/co-signers.