MasterCard has opened its digital security lab in England to customers, the company has announced.
Called the MasterCard DigiSec Lab, the facility aims to find innovative security solutions to increasingly sophisticated digital threats. The Lab’s researchers test biometric authentication, mobile payments, EMV chip cards and other digital payment technologies, sometimes even using X-ray machines on devices and firing lasers at payment cards.
That sounds cool in a vague, science fiction way, but MasterCard really is serious about security innovation. At industry events the company has strenuously emphasized the growing importance of digital security, and in February it announced that it would invest $20 million in cyber security efforts. MasterCard has also pioneered the development of biometric credit cards, which it has been testing out in Europe.
It isn’t yet clear what exactly the company has in mind by opening its DigiSec Lab to the public – that is, the company hasn’t specified how it plans to interact with any customers who do venture out to the facility. But the company has demonstrated a keen interest in finding out about consumers’ opinions and attitudes when it comes to digital payments and security, and it’s a fair bet that its DigiSec researchers are just as curious.
Follow Us