Dirk Lützelberger - Secret doors

"What exactly do you mean, big boy, and how do you figure it?"

"It’s very simple, Mom. You can read it everywhere!"

Gwen and Beth looked at each other without understanding. "Why don’t you explain exactly what you mean to your grandmother" Beth challenged her grandson.

"In the old days, credit cards only had a card number and an expiration date. You could pay with them if you had some control over the signature on the back. The entire settlement was only possible manually by means of paper receipts. This was only very insufficient as a security feature, especially when the internet came up and people started to pay by credit card there as well, I read. One could hardly sign any piece of paper. At first, a 'personal identification number', a so-called PIN was used here, which was also necessary outside the Internet if you wanted to pick up money from the ATM. Some time later, they agreed on a code which was printed on the back of the card. After all, you had to have physical access to the card if you wanted to buy something on the Internet without a signature and without a PIN. But there was still too much uncertainty, potential for fraud and also different procedures. It was standardized around the time I was born. Since then, hackers have of course become more and more professional, but credit card companies have also constantly come up with new countermeasures to protect themselves. Much of this is based on the Internet or keeping information secret. It’s a really exciting topic when you look at it and read something."

Gwen and Beth were impressed. They didn’t think Phil had that much background knowledge, but he surprised them again and again. He had grown up with the internet and all the technology and it was not difficult for him to understand the whole picture.

"That’s very impressive, Phil, but my knowledge is limited here and I’m afraid I can’t tell you if the cards are more secure now, and what additional security features have been introduced."

Somewhat disappointed not to be able to expand his knowledge, Phil was satisfied with his mother’s statement. Not everyone could be an expert in every field.

"Okay, Mom, no problem. But why don’t you tell us what you found out about the dead guy today?"

Gwen could not go into the details for understandable reasons, but there was a certain euphoria in her, which obviously had transferred from Stefan to her. She talked about his parents and the basement apartment. Then she told about the equipment and the technical features of the apartment. Finally, she said that Phil would certainly have liked the apartment as well, as many things were automated. Gwen bit her tongue because she knew what was coming.

"That’s what I want for my birthday, Mom. It’s so cool when you don’t even have to get up to turn the lights on."

Gwen couldn’t take pleasure in the argument but didn’t show her aversion to all the technical toys.

"We will discuss this in more detail when the time comes. Your next birthday is still many months away."

"That’s right, Mom, but it’s Christmas before that" Phil noted.

"All right, enough of this subject. Off to bed! Tomorrow morning, the night is over, and the school will not tolerate sleepy students."

Phil said goodbye to his grandma with a hug and a goodnight kiss. His mother got the same. The empty gummy bear bag ended up in the recycling bin and Phil waved down the stairs once more.

"Tomorrow we will pay a visit to the sister. Let’s see what she has to report and if she knew about her brother’s drug abuse. If not, then our jogger’s life has just taken an unfortunate turn and we’ll have to accept death as an accident."

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