Chip and PIN: A more secure waste of time?

silicon.com readers are largely unimpressed with the introduction of chip and PIN, the new-to-the-UK way of paying by credit and debit cards at points of sale.

Although 56.1 per cent or respondents to a recent survey believe the point of sale technology makes their transactions more secure, a third of respondents (32.4 per cent) branded the change a 'waste of time'.

Furthermore 11.5 per cent of respondents believe the technology is actually less secure with fears of 'shoulder surfing' raising concerns about other shoppers targeting individuals who they observed entering their PIN number. The findings suggest the nation is still fairly divided on the issue.

One silicon.com reader wrote in to say: "I am quite a tall person and it is disturbing that well over 50 per cent of the time I can see what the person in front is typing and should I be inclined to misuse that information I could easily do so. Chip and PIN is clearly a poor solution and open to more methods of fraud."

silicon.com reader Mike Hart added: "At an ATM you can be careful not to disclose your PIN but in a busy shop with only those tiny 'shields' on the terminal it is just about impossible."

Other concerns were raised earlier this month about the risk of in-store CCTV cameras monitoring the point of sale and providing an opportunity to record PIN numbers being entered.