Transaction device and method for securing a transaction between the transaction device and an external device
A transaction device for securing a transaction includes an NFC controller, a communication interface, an application processor, a display and a user input device. The NFC controller is configured to receive, via a contactless NFC interface, data related to the transaction from an external device. The communication interface is configured to receive an application program for the transaction device. The application processor is coupled to the NFC controller and configured to process the application program. The display is coupled to the application processor and configured to display transaction information. The user input device is linked to the NFC controller and configured to receive a user acknowledgement of the transaction. The NFC controller is further configured to transmit, via the contactless NFC interface, a transaction agreement of the transaction to the external device in response to the user acknowledgement from the user input device, without the user acknowledgement and the transaction agreement being routed through the application processor.
1. A transaction system comprising:
a transaction terminal; and
a transaction device including a non-secure application processor, an input device, and a Near Field Communication (NFC) communication controller, the NFC communication controller being coupled with the non-secure application processor, the transaction terminal and the input device, the NFC communication controller also being coupled to at least one program memory in which a program executed by the NFC communication controller is stored, the program memory being preprogrammed and not user-accessible, such that it is incorruptible by malicious software,
the non-secure application processor being configured to conduct a transaction with the transaction terminal, the conducting the transaction including exchanging, via the NFC communication controller, data between the transaction terminal and the non-secure application processor, the exchanged data including agreed transaction data provided to the NFC communication controller via the input device,
the NFC communication controller being configured, during the conducting of the transaction by the non-secure application processor to:
receive data sent by the transaction terminal and provide the data sent by the transaction terminal to the non-secure application processor;
receive data provided by the non-secure application processor and send the data provided by the non-secure application processor to the transaction terminal;
receive the agreed transaction data from the input device;
capture and store the agreed transaction data received from the input device,
the non-secure application processor being configured to provide a command to the NFC communication controller to send the agreed transaction data to the transaction terminal, the command including the agreed transaction data, and
the NFC communication controller being further configured, in response to receiving the command, to:
determine whether the agreed transaction data included in the command is identical to the captured and stored agreed transaction data;
if the agreed transaction data included in the command is identical to the captured and stored agreed transaction data, send the agreed transaction data to the transaction terminal; and
if the agreed transaction data included in the command is not identical to the captured and stored agreed transaction data, refuse to send the agreed transaction data to the transaction terminal, or interrupt transmission of data between the non-secure application processor and the transaction terminal.
2. The transaction system of claim 1 , wherein the non-secure application processor is further configured to provide a command to the NFC communication controller requesting the NFC communication controller to capture and store the agreed transaction data provided by the input device.
3. The transaction system of claim 2 , wherein the non-secure application processor is further configured to request entry of the agreed transaction data via the input device, and provide the NFC communication controller with the command requesting the NFC communication controller to capture and store the agreed transaction before requesting entry of the agreed transaction data.
4. The transaction system of claim 1 , wherein the NFC communication controller is configured to establish a contactless channel with the transaction terminal, and ensure, during the performance of a transaction, the transmission of data between the non-secure application processor and the transaction device through the contactless channel.
5. The transaction system of claim 1 , wherein the non-secure application processor is configured to execute a transaction program that has been downloaded and installed on the transaction device.
6. The transaction system of claim 5 , wherein the non-secure application processor is one of a baseband processor of a mobile phone or a main processor of a portable electronic device.
7. A method for conducting a transaction between a transaction terminal and a non-secure application processor of a transaction device by exchanging data between the transaction terminal and the transaction device, the exchanged data including agreed transaction data, the method comprising:
providing, by a Near Field Communication (NFC) communication controller of the transaction device to the non-secure application processor, data related to the transaction that is sent to the NFC communication controller by the transaction terminal, a program memory of the NFC communication controller being preprogrammed and not user-accessible, such that it is incorruptible by malicious software;
sending, by the NFC communication controller to the transaction terminal, data related to the transaction that is provided to the NFC communication controller by the non-secure application processor;
receiving, by the NFC communication controller, the agreed transaction data from an input device of the transaction device;
capturing and storing, by the NFC communication controller, the agreed transaction data received from the input device;
providing, by the non-secure application processor, a command to the NFC communication controller to send the agreed transaction data to the transaction terminal; the command including the agreed transaction data; and
in response to receiving the command, the NFC communication controller:
determining whether the agreed transaction data included in the command is identical to the captured and stored agreed transaction data;
if the agreed transaction data included in the command is identical to the captured and stored agreed transaction data, sending the agreed transaction data to the transaction terminal; and
if the agreed transaction data included in the command is not identical to the captured and stored agreed transaction data, refusing to send the agreed transaction data to the transaction terminal, or interrupting transmission of data between the non-secure application processor and the transaction terminal.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising providing, by the non-secure application processor, a command to the NFC communication controller requesting the NFC communication controller to capture and store the agreed transaction data provided by the input device.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising, by the non-secure application processor:
requesting entry of the agreed transaction data via the input device, and
providing the command requesting the NFC communication controller to capture and store the agreed transaction before requesting entry of the agreed transaction data.
10. The method of claim 7 , comprising using the NFC communication controller to establish a contactless channel with the transaction terminal, and ensure, during the performance of a transaction, the transmission of data between the non-secure application processor and the transaction device through the contactless channel.
11. The method of claim 7 , comprising using the non-secure application processor to execute a transaction program that has been downloaded and installed on the transaction device.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the non-secure application processor is one of a baseband processor of a mobile phone or a main processor of a portable electronic device.