Mobile NFC offers a lot of innovative and convenient applications, but for some, trusting a mobile device to protect financial and identity information may feel chancy. In reality, there are security features available for NFC applications that make it just the opposite. One of these is the secure element providing in-device security, which can store personal information and protect your data in ways that software or your physical wallet can’t.
The secure element is a tamper-resistant smart microprocessor housed inside of an NFC-enabled device. The technology conducts sensitive computational equations and securely stores information that can be remotely provisioned in its UICC form factor while acting as a firewall between your NFC-based applications and the other applications on your phone. When the secure element is used, you can trust that your information will not be stolen or attacked, whether by malware on your phone or by external threats like skimming devices. Mobile EMV with NFC leverages the same security standard as EMV chip cards and processes a mobile payment transaction as an EMV one.
Wondering what NFC applications use the secure element? Apple Pay and Softcard are two examples of mobile EMV wallets that take advantage of this secure technology to protect your sensitive information. But what about securing more than just payments? Some car manufacturers, , corporations and transport operators use NFC coupled with the secure element to allow keyless entry to rooms and buildings or ticketing to ensure only the authenticated user is granted access.
Want to learn more? Visit www.gemalto.com/NFC to learn how Gemalto enables the trusted infrastructure of NFC, working behind the scenes to create and secure its many uses and possibilities.

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