ESET Warns Cybercriminals Are Targeting NFC Data for Contactless Payments

ESET researchers have uncovered a sophisticated attack vector exploiting Near Field Communication (NFC) data, initially targeting Czech banking customers but now spreading worldwide.

According to the ESET Threat Report H1 2025, the incidence of NFC-related attacks has skyrocketed, with telemetry data showing a staggering 35-fold increase in the first half of 2025 compared to the latter half of 2024.

This alarming trend underscores the growing interest of cybercriminals in exploiting NFC technology, which powers contactless payments through short-range wireless communication using radio waves, effective only within a few centimeters.

A Surge in NFC-Based Attacks Globally

As the global NFC market is projected to expand from $21.69 billion in 2024 to $30.55 billion by 2029, driven by smartphone penetration and the shift to cashless transactions, the technology’s inherent security features like encryption and tokenization are being challenged by innovative malicious tactics.

The attack ...