Transport ticketing security and fraud controls

For many years, public transportation systems have been an essential part of day-to-day life and so the principle of needing a “ticket” has been familiar to generations of travellers. However as technology has advanced it has become possible to make use of electronic tickets that have significant advantages both for travellers and for the transport system operators. There has been a lot of recent publicity regarding weaknesses in some electronic ticket solutions; which whilst based on some solid facts tend to suggest that transport ticket security and fraud control is primarily a smart card/RFID technology issue. However this cannot be the case as systems exist that do not use such technology; or use it along side legacy systems. This paper will consider technology problems, but will first establish the bigger picture of transport ticketing and will finally make suggestions for future evolution of such systems.