Monday, July 20, 2009

SPVA Builds Membership to Accelerate Enhanced Security Guidelines

SPVA Builds Membership to Accelerate Enhanced Security Guidelines

Atos Worldline, Heartland Payment Systems, Moneris Solutions,
Radiant Systems, Inc. and Witham Laboratories join SPVA

ATLANTA
– July 20, 2009 – Five electronic payment companies have joined the non-profit Secure POS Vendor Alliance (SPVA), created by Hypercom (NYSE: HYC), Ingenico S.A. (EURONEXT: ING) and VeriFone (NYSE: PAY) to foster widespread compliance of existing security standards to protect cardholder information and defend merchants and acquirers against security breaches.

“Membership in the SPVA reinforces our commitment to advancing security within our industry, enables us to gain first-hand knowledge of current security threats and proactively shape future security guidelines,” said Antoine van Diem, general manager technologies & products, Atos Worldline.

The SPVA’s expertise includes education and a focus on best practices,” said Steven Elefant, executive director of end-to-end encryption at Heartland Payment Systems®. “It is vital that we as stakeholders continue to innovate so that ultimately, we enhance the security of our industry as it grows.”

SPVA members provide the key security elements among consumers, merchants and transaction acquirers and issuers. Members of the SPVA deliver a unique experience with security guidelines, ensure best practice implementation and continue to evolve security enhancements and interoperability required to reduce fraud and lower risk for all participants in card payment transactions. Membership is open to all vendors that develop secure POS payment systems or have products or solutions that interact with secure POS payment devices such as retailers, acquirers and banks.

New members that have signed up with the SPVA since May 2009 include:

Joining as a General Member, Atos Worldline is the European leader in electronic payments and transactions delivering innovative solutions to advance its clients’ businesses. It specialises in end-to end payment services (issuing, acquiring, payment solutions and card processing), services for financial markets as well as CRM and eServices (Internet, voice and mobile solutions). Every year Atos Worldline wins prestigious market awards in recognition of its continuous commitment to research and development of leading edge solutions. Awarded solutions cover expertise in areas such as mobile payments, secure IPTV, online CRM, ticketless solutions. A 100% subsidiary of Atos Origin, Atos Worldline generates annual revenues of around €800 million and employs over 4,800 people in Europe. www.atosworldline.com

Heartland Payment Systems, Inc., a NYSE company trading under the symbol HPY, delivers credit/debit/prepaid card processing, payroll, check management and payments solutions to more than 250,000 business locations nationwide. Heartland is the founding supporter of The Merchant Bill of Rights, a public advocacy initiative that educates merchants about fair credit and debit card processing practices. www.heartlandpaymentsystems.com

Moneris Solutions, one of North America's largest providers of payment solutions. Moneris offers credit, debit, wireless and online payment services for merchants in virtually every industry segment and processes more than 3 billion transactions annually. Through its Ernex division, Moneris offers electronic loyalty and stored-value gift card programs. With more than 350,000 merchant locations, Moneris provides the hardware, software and systems needed to improve business efficiency and manage payments. For more information please visit www.monerisusa.com.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Radiant Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: RADS) is a global provider of innovative technology to the hospitality and retail industries. For more than two decades, Radiant's point of sale hardware and software solutions have helped to redefine the consumer experience in more than 100,000 restaurants, retail stores, stadiums, parks, arenas, cinemas, convenience stores, fuel centers and other customer-service venues. Radiant has offices in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. www.radiantsystems.com

A leading provider of specialist payment security evaluation services, Witham Laboratories is accredited to perform evaluations and audits against local and global security standards including all PCI standards (PCI PED, PCI DSS, and PA DSS). With its head office in Melbourne, Australia, Witham Laboratories has clients around the globe and works directly with vendors of POS and PIN entry devices, merchants, and acquirers and card schemes, to assist in their understanding of compliance to the payment standards. Witham Laboratories is an active member of many industry standards bodies, and uses its intimate knowledge of these standards to provide the best possible service and advice to its clients. http://www.withamlabs.com
To learn more about membership opportunities, visit www.spva.org.
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About Secure POS Vendor Alliance
(www.spva.org)                                                                                                    The Secure POS Vendor Alliance (SPVA) is a non-profit organization that works with the multiple stakeholders of the payment value chain. Its aim is to develop an end-to-end security framework and to enhance security elements of payment solutions which protect cardholder information and defend merchants and acquirers against security breaches, while helping reducing fraud and lowering risk for all electronic payment stakeholders.

About Hypercom (www.hypercom.com)                                                                                                             Global payment technology leader Hypercom Corporation delivers a full suite of high security, end-to-end electronic payment products and services. The Company's solutions address the high security electronic transaction needs of banks and other financial institutions, processors, large scale retailers, smaller merchants, quick service restaurants, and users in the transportation, petroleum, healthcare, prepaid, unattended and many other markets. Hypercom solutions enable businesses in more than 100 countries to securely expand their revenues and profits. Hypercom is a founding member of the Secure POS Vendor Alliance (SPVA) and is the second largest provider of electronic payment solutions and services in Western Europe and third largest provider globally.

About Ingenico (www.ingenico.com)
Throughout the world, banks and retailers rely on Ingenico for secure and expedient electronic transaction acceptance. Ingenico solutions leverage proven technology, established standards and unparalleled ergonomics to provide optimal reliability, versatility and usability. This comprehensive range of products is complemented by a global array of services and partnerships, enabling businesses in a number of vertical sectors to accept transactions anywhere their business takes them.
About VeriFone Holdings, Inc. (www.verifone.com)
VeriFone Holdings, Inc. (“VeriFone”) (NYSE: PAY), a global leader in secure electronic payment technologies, provides expertise, solutions and services for today with a migration strategy for tomorrow. VeriFone delivers solutions that add value to the point of sale, resulting in improved merchant retention and the generation of new sources of revenue for its partners and customers. VeriFone solutions are specifically designed to meet the needs of vertical markets including financial, retail, petroleum, government and healthcare.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This press release includes statements that may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the development, adoption, implementation, interoperability, performance and effectiveness of electronic payments industry security standards, the development of future security standards and guidelines intended to
reduce and prevent fraud and other threats to electronic payment transaction integrity, and lower risk for all participants in card payment transactions. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and beliefs and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. In particular, factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include: the ability of the Alliance to attract significant industry membership and participation in its activities and adherence to its policies and guidelines; industry, technological and regulatory changes; industry and market acceptance of and compliance with new security standards and guidelines; compliance with disparate certification requirements and government regulations;  the state of the U.S. and global economies in general and other risks detailed in the companies’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the companies' most recent 10-K and subsequent 10-Qs and 8-Ks. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made and are not guarantees of future performance. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.
Editorial Contacts:
Candace McCaffery/Carol McEntee
SPVA
404.816.2037
678.640.7822 Mobile

candace@cookerly.com                     

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