Monday, 11 August 2014 - 10:54
OV chip card data not secure
Personal details such as name, address and account number of OV-chip card users who have an account on ov-chipkaart.nl, are sometimes visible online to other users. These details can also be changed, the NRC reports.
This leak was alerted to by a user of the public transport card when he tried to make a new account on the website. He was confronted with the sight of travel details from two other card holders, one anonymous and one from Arnhem. He was able to make changes to the account of the man from Arnhem.
Ovchipkaart.nl is a website that allows cardholders to see their transaction details, and upload their cards. The website is used by more than 2 million cardholders. It is an alternative to loading your public transport cards using the machines at railway stations.
Trans Link Systems, the company behind the OV-chip card, has been alerted to the problem, and admits to the existence of the issue. A spokesperson assures customers that nothing can be changed within the transaction details. "So the cardholder whose details were visible could not have experienced financial drawbacks."
According to this spokesperson, the problem could have occurred more times, although no complaints have come in.
Trans Link is currently experimenting with software that should fix the problem. If the experiments are successful, then the systems behind ov-chipkaart.nl will be adjusted on Tuesday.