The numbers on the card face and the magnetic strip disappear after a certain period of time, enabling the holder to use the card but then making it secure again when not in use. If the card is lost or stolen, it is useless without the password, which is entered using five buttons on the card face.
This seems like a useful and simple-to-use credit card security measure. Of course, the password would have to be stored in a place separate from the credit card or memorized.
Not everyone, however, is a fan of the hidden credit card. Peter Pachal of Dvice.com offers the following observations.
“That's all well and good, but the high-tech card does nothing to protect against more severe threats: sketchy websites and phishing scams that collect the account info of unsuspecting consumers online. That's a much bigger problem than pickpockets looking to score a few bucks. The Hidden card might be appropriate for some situations, but for most it'll be a placebo that doesn't treat the real problem.”
So is the hidden credit card from Dynamics a stroke of security genius or a placebo that will lull the user into a false sense of security? It definitely has a valuable role in disabling the credit card if it is lost or stolen. With regard to protecting against “sketchy websites and phishing scams”, there is no technological solution for common sense.