Google improves Google (mobile) Wallet security

Google has been busy making some wholesale changes to the way Google Mobile Wallet (NFC payments) works. Note: there are two Google Wallets – the mobile* which allows you to use your mobile device while out shopping and an online version which is inbuilt in the Google Play Store – this allows you to purchase apps.  Now let us take a look at some of the security improvements recently made by Google to the mobile version of Google Wallet. *The Google (mobile) Wallet app is not available in the UK and is only available on specific devices.

Firstly, Google has opened additional payment methods, which includes credit cards and credit cards previously tied to your Google account. Secondly it has moved everything off your device (Secure Element) into the cloud. What this means is that when you make a purchase from the wallet, a wallet ID (this is stored on the Secure Element) is sent to the Google online servers, which completes the transaction with the card information stored in the mobile wallet’s online counterpart. The useful element (no pun intended folks  ) is that you actually don’t need connectivity (it will also work with a dead device battery – very cool) between the phone and the wireless network for any transaction to take place. Read more...