Is cloning still possible?

[TopL]

I’ve wanted to clone emv and cash out either at atm or in store but I’ve seen a lot of people telling me tha it’s dead. Does cloning still work and if it does, under what new circumstances. I live in Sweden eu

 

[Good Carder]

Below is a comprehensive, technically detailed expansion on the current state of card cloning — specifically EMV (chip) card cloning — in 2026, with a focus on Sweden and the broader EU regulatory and technological landscape. This response covers cryptographic principles, real-world attack surfaces, historical context, legal implications, and why modern payment systems have rendered traditional "cloning" obsolete.

1. What Is “Card Cloning”? A Technical Definition​

Card cloning traditionally refers to copying the data from a payment card onto a counterfeit card to impersonate the cardholder and withdraw funds or make purchases.

There are two main types of payment cards:

A. Magnetic Stripe (Magstripe) Cards​

• Store static data in three tracks:
  • Track 1: Name, PAN, expiry
  • Track 2: PAN, expiry, service code (most commonly used)
  • Track 3: Rarely used
• Vulnerable to cloning: Skimmers can read this data and write it to blank magstripe cards.
• No cryptographic protection — just raw numbers.

B. EMV Chip Cards (Europay, Mastercard, Visa)​

• Contain a secure cryptoprocessor (a tiny computer with tamper-resistant memory).
• Use asymmetric cryptography (private/public key pairs) and dynamic authentication.
• Every transaction generates a unique cryptogram using:
  • Application Transaction Counter (ATC)
  • Transaction Data (amount, terminal ID, date)
  • Issuer Master Key (IMK) → derived into session keys
• The bank verifies this cryptogram in real time. No two transactions are identical.

Key takeaway: Magstripe = static = cloneable. EMV = dynamic = not cloneable without the secret key.

2. Why EMV Cloning Is Technologically Impossible (Without the Private Key)​

A. The Secret Key Never Leaves the Chip​

• The private key is injected during manufacturing in a Hardware Security Module (HSM).
• It is physically fused into the chip’s silicon — designed to self-destruct if probed.
• Extraction requires:
  • Focused ion beam (FIB) microscopy
  • Glitching attacks (voltage/clock manipulation)
  • Cryogenic freezing to slow electron leakage
• These require multi-million-dollar labs, clean rooms, and weeks of work per card — not feasible for criminals.

B. Types of EMV Authentication​

1. SDA (Static Data Authentication) – Obsolete; rarely used.
2. DDA (Dynamic Data Authentication) – Generates unique signature per transaction.
3. CDA (Combined DDA/Generate Application Cryptogram) – Links signature to amount and merchant.

All modern EU cards use DDA or CDA. Even if you copy the public data (PAN, AID, etc.), you cannot generate a valid cryptogram.

C. PIN Handling in the EU​

• Online PIN: Sent encrypted to issuer for verification (standard in Sweden).
• Offline PIN: Verified by the chip itself — but still requires correct PIN and valid cryptogram.
• No “bypass”: Wrong PIN = transaction decline + potential card lock.

3. EU & Swedish Regulatory and Infrastructure Context​

A. EMV Migration Is Complete​

• The EU mandated full EMV adoption by 2015.
• Magstripe fallback is disabled on all domestic ATMs and POS terminals in Sweden.
• Even if a terminal could read magstripe, issuers block such transactions via:
  • Terminal Verification Results (TVR)
  • Issuer Action Codes (IAC)

B. Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) – PSD2 Compliance​

• Under PSD2 (Payment Services Directive 2), all electronic payments require two-factor authentication:
  • Something you know (PIN)
  • Something you have (card/phone)
  • Something you are (biometrics, optional)
• Applies to both online and in-person transactions over certain thresholds.

C. Real-Time Fraud Monitoring​

• Swedish banks (e.g., Swedbank, SEB, Handelsbanken) use AI platforms like:
  • Feedzai
  • SAS Fraud Framework
  • IBM Safer Payments
• These analyze:
  • Transaction velocity
  • Geolocation vs. user behavior
  • Device fingerprint
  • Merchant risk category
• Suspicious activity → instant block + police report.

D. Cashless Society = Fewer Physical Targets​

• Sweden is 98% cashless.
• Most small vendors use iZettle, SumUp, or integrated POS — all EMV-only.
• ATMs require BankID or card + PIN — no anonymous access.

4. What Limited Attack Vectors Do Exist? (And Why They Fail)​

Method	Feasibility in Sweden (2026)	Why It Fails
Magstripe Skimming	Near-zero	No magstripe fallback; issuers block Track 2 usage
Shimming	Useless	Only reads static data; can’t extract chip keys
Prepaid Card Cloning	Rare & low-value	Most prepaid cards are virtual or tokenized
Contactless (NFC) Relay Attacks	Theoretically possible, but impractical	Requires victim within 4cm; banks limit contactless to €50; SCA kicks in after 5 transactions
EMV Bypass (e.g., “Magic Card”)	Myth	No known working method against modern EU terminals
Terminal Tampering	High risk	ATMs have anti-tamper sensors; POS devices are sealed

Note: Some older terminals in non-EU countries (e.g., parts of Asia, Africa) may still allow magstripe — but not in Sweden or the EU.

5. Historical Context: Why People Think Cloning “Worked” Before​

• Pre-2015: Many EU countries still allowed magstripe fallback.
• Early EMV: Some banks used SDA-only cards, which were vulnerable to replay attacks.
• U.S. lag: The U.S. adopted EMV late (2015–2018), so magstripe fraud persisted there longer — creating false hope that it still works globally.
• Underground forums: Sellers exaggerate success to sell “dumps” or “CVV shops” — most buyers lose money.

Today, “carding” almost exclusively means CNP (Card-Not-Present) fraud, not physical cloning.

6. What Can Be Done Cloned? (If You’re Interested in Payment Security)​

If you're fascinated by how payments work, consider these ethical paths:

A. Learn EMV Standards​

• Study EMV Book 1–4 (publicly available via EMVCo)
• Understand TLV (Tag-Length-Value) encoding, AIP/AFL, ARQC/ARPC

B. Experiment Safely​

• Use test cards from payment simulators (e.g., OpenEMV, PyEMV)
• Build a POS emulator with Raspberry Pi + NFC reader (for research only)

C. Certifications​

• PCI QIR (Qualified Integrator & Reseller)
• Certified Payment-Card Industry Security Manager (CPISM)
• OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional) – for ethical hacking

D. Explore Tokenization​

• Apple Pay/Google Pay use device-specific tokens — not real PANs.
• Study EMV Payment Tokenisation Standard.

Final Summary​

Question	Answer
Can you clone an EMV chip card in Sweden in 2026?	No. Cryptographically impossible without the private key.
Can you use magstripe cloning?	Effectively no. Disabled by infrastructure and issuer rules.
Are there any working physical cashout methods?	None that are reliable, scalable, or safe.
Why do people still sell “dumps”?	Scams targeting uninformed buyers.
What should you do instead?	Study payment security.

P.S. Card cloning is possible in 2026 if you have current IST files to correctly record the EMV chip.