What is the easiest way to get track data off a simple USB HID magnetic card reader?

Question

I need to get Track 1 and Track 2 data off magnetic cards and send them over the network to a waiting server. What is an easy way to get the track data from a USB HID magnetic card reader?

In case it helps, I have a MAGTEK Mini Swipe Magnetic Strip Reader (part no. 21040140)

I'm OS agnostic -- a solution for Windows, Mac or Linux would be great. Preferably no .NET, but if that's the easiest way I'll go for it.

What do you all think?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Every card reader I've seen has had a keyboard emulator, so you swipe the card and it sends characters through the keyboard buffer. Looks like this one also does that (documentation : http://www.magtek.com/documentation/public/99875206-16.01.pdf)

Page 14 describes the data sent after a swipe, which is again, fairly standard across card readers:
[Tk1 SS] [Tk1 Data] [ES] [Tk2 SS] [Tk2 Data] [ES] [Tk3 SS] [Tk3 Data] [ES] [CR]

So your track one data starts with % and ends with ?
Track two data starts with ; and ends with ?

I noticed the question was tagged credit-card though, so it would be worth making sure you know the consequences of sending raw card-data across a network (even an internal network). Take a look at the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI-DSS) : https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/security_standards/pci_dss.shtml

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There is a demo program for that specific reader that comes with VB source.
http://www.magtek.com/support/software/demo_programs/usb_swipe_insert.asp

Answer 2

Easiest way to download the Cab file from this link & include it in the project directory in a "magtek" folder.

http://www.magtek.com/support/software/demo_programs/card/usb_hid_swipe_readers/read_parse.asp

Add this code in aspx file after tag (change cab file src as per )

   <object id="USBHID" classid="CLSID:22571E97-956A-4CDD-AF8D-AE9C26597683" codebase="magtek/99510060.CAB#version=1,13,0,2">
    </object>

<script src="//ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.8.0/jquery.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
        $(function () {
$('#txtNameFirst').focus();  // Focus on a textbox is required
 USBHID.PortOpen = true;
            if (USBHID.PortOpen == false) {
                $('#<%= lblStatus.ClientID %>').text('Could not open MagTek reader');

            }
            else {
                $('#<%= lblStatus.ClientID %>').text('Please Swipe a card');
            }
    });
 $("#txtNameFirst").bind('change', function () {

var CCData = $("#txtNameFirst").val();  // CCData will contain the complete credit card data in a string.

alert(CCData);
$("#txtNameFirst").val(CCData.split('^')[1].split(' ')[0]);
                        $("#txtNameLast").val(CCData.split('^')[1].split(' ')[1]);
                        $("#txtCCNo").val(CCData.split('^')[0].substring(2, 18));
                        //alert('  Split1: ' + CCData.split('^')[1] + '  Split2: ' + CCData.split('^')[2]);
                        //alert('parsing good!');
                        $("#txtExpiDt_RoutingNo").val(CCData.split('^')[2].substring(2, 4) + '/' + CCData.split('^')[2].substring(0, 2));
});
    </script>

As per the above code I have added focus on a text box . After swiping the card focused textboxes automatically show the complete credit card data string.