Mastercard

Zombie Card Attack Revives Expired Visa Cards for Contactless NFC Payments

Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst have demonstrated the Zombie Card attack, which enables contactless payments with certain expired Visa cards over NFC without breaking cryptography or cloning the card. The technique exploits inconsistencies in how payment terminals and issuing banks validate card expiration dates within the EMV protocol. By deploying two Android smartphones as a relay between the expired card and the terminal, the researchers intercepted the EMV field containing the expiration date and substituted a future date during the transaction. The terminal accepted the locally validated payment while the cryptographic data remained valid because Visa EMV Kernel 3 does not always bind the expiration field to the protected cryptogram. Testing showed varying bank responses: one issuer approved transactions of different amounts at multiple merchants, while another consistently declined them. The attack failed against Mastercard, American Express, and Discover due to stricter cross-checks or cryptographic protection of the expiration data. The method requires an active account and valid keys on the expired card, making it more complex than traditional skimming.

NSPK Warns of Potential Online Payment Disruptions for Visa and Mastercard Holders Due to Russian Certificate Transition

The National System of Payment Cards (NSPK) has issued a warning that holders of Russian-issued Visa and Mastercard cards may encounter difficulties when making online purchases. The issues stem from NSPK's ongoing transition to Russian security certificates required for authenticating internet resources and establishing secure connections. NSPK recommends that users proactively replace their existing cards with Mir-branded alternatives to avoid payment failures at critical moments. The move aligns with broader efforts toward import substitution and ensuring stable access to payment services amid international sanctions imposed on Russia since 2022. Mir cards will remain fully functional for both in-store and online transactions without any changes. Foreign browsers may display security warnings when encountering the new Russian certificates, though NSPK stresses that these alerts do not indicate compromised resources or data leaks. The transition is described as standard practice among Russian organizations and will not affect payment security, data protection, or overall service operations.

Russia to Launch Unified Payment Card Registry in 2026 to Combat Dropper Fraud Schemes

Starting September 1, 2026, Russia will introduce a single nationwide system for recording all payment cards issued by domestic banks. The registry will include every card regardless of the payment system used, covering existing Visa and Mastercard products as well as expired cards that banks continue to service. The measure is designed to give banks visibility into the total number of cards held by any individual across multiple institutions, thereby disrupting dropper schemes that rely on multiple accounts for laundering stolen funds. No immediate mass closure of cards will occur; instead, the first year will focus on data collection and preparation. From September 1, 2027, a hard limit of 20 cards per person will apply to new issuances only, while existing cards above the limit will remain operational. The policy grants individuals time to decide which cards they truly need before the issuance restriction takes effect.

Sberbank to Terminate Currency and Multicurrency Visa Cards from September 2026 Despite Prior Extensions to 2030

Sberbank announced it will cease servicing currency and multicurrency Visa cards starting September 1, 2026, including those whose validity was previously extended until 2030. The bank notified customers via SMS and advised them to close affected cards in advance through the Sberbank Online app or at a branch to avoid access issues with their funds. This decision aligns with ongoing sanctions against Russia, import substitution policies, and the gradual removal of Visa and Mastercard from the Russian market. Central Bank officials, including Elvira Nabiullina and Alla Bakina, have confirmed that international payment systems must exit Russia, with the share of Visa and Mastercard already reduced to less than 17 percent. The National System of Payment Cards continues to incur costs supporting legacy cards while promoting domestic alternatives such as Mir. Customers are encouraged to transfer remaining balances to other accounts to maintain uninterrupted access to their money.