A Card Skimmer is best described as which?

A Card Skimmer is best described as which?

• A. A software program that records keystrokes.
• B. A physical device attached to a legitimate card-reading device to illicitly capture and/or store information from a payment card.
• C. An encryption standard for card data.
• D. A security threat involving devices that skim card data.

Answer: (B)

A card skimmer is a physical device placed on or inside a legitimate card reader to secretly capture the data from a payment card when it is swiped. This is a physical compromise that intercepts card data at the point of capture, often storing or transmitting it to criminals. It’s not about software that records keystrokes, nor an encryption standard used to protect data. While a broader description might say it’s a security threat involving devices that skim card data, the precise and best-fitting description focuses on the actual device attached to the reader to illicitly capture card information.

A card skimmer is a physical device placed on or inside a legitimate card reader to secretly capture the data from a payment card when it is swiped. This is a physical compromise that intercepts card data at the point of capture, often storing or transmitting it to criminals. It’s not about software that records keystrokes, nor an encryption standard used to protect data. While a broader description might say it’s a security threat involving devices that skim card data, the precise and best-fitting description focuses on the actual device attached to the reader to illicitly capture card information.