Magnetic Stripe Cards
Magnetic stripe cards are physical cards that store data on a magnetic stripe, typically used for payment, identification, and access control. The stripe contains three tracks of encoded information, such as account numbers and expiration dates, which can be read by swiping through a magnetic stripe reader. They are widely deployed in credit/debit cards, hotel keys, and transit passes.
Developers should learn about magnetic stripe cards when working on legacy payment systems, point-of-sale (POS) hardware integration, or security assessments, as they are still common in many industries despite being phased out for more secure technologies. Understanding their data formats (e.g., ISO/IEC 7811 standards) is crucial for interoperability and compliance in applications like retail, hospitality, or transportation. However, due to vulnerabilities like skimming, knowledge is often applied in migration projects to newer solutions like EMV chips or contactless payments.