If you have a smartphone purchased in the last few years, it almost certainly came with NFC capability. The technology allows you to make contactless payments, share digital content, connect one device with another and a list of other options that gets longer every day. But that data transfer can create vulnerabilities.
What exactly is NFC? NFC stands for Near Field Communication. It’s a data transfer that only works within a very short physical range – inches, not feet. Some forms of this technology require you to tap one device against another or wave them in close proximity.
NFCs are based on RFID (radio frequency identification) technology, a process that uses radio frequencies to identify objects. NFC is high-frequency RFID that makes it easy for one device to communicate with another and uses a series of protocols to make transactions easier and faster.
How do they work? An NFC relies on proximity, so when users get close to a device they want to interact with they typically receive a prompt asking for permission and then follow on-screen prompts from there. It’s convenient because it doesn’t involve downloading an app or signing up to get started.
When you activate some NFC technologies, they enable Bluetooth and use that to make your data transfer. That means you don’t have to fumble around with your phone to find Bluetooth settings, choose the device you want to pair, enter the key or code and so on. Some NFC technologies enable Wi-Fi between two devices so they can “talk” back and forth which allows big files to transfer faster.