Mobile Payment Industry News

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Todos Reveals New Technology

Banks can offer customers new services and greater security thanks to a unique Todos technology. It creates secure, trustworthy communications directly between the banks and smart cards.

GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN — NOVEMBER 4, 2009 — Todos has developed a patented technology called Autograf which allows banks to set up a secure session with a smart card via the internet, a user’s PC and a Todos connectible smart card reader, such as the C400.

Think of Autograf as a secure virtual private network between the bank and the smart card reader, immune to computer viruses, eavesdropping and hackers.

Internet crime keeps growing and traditional protection, such as SSL links on web browsers, look increasingly vulnerable because of computer viruses, spoofing and man-in-the-middle attacks. This new technology bypasses these risks and provides a trustworthy, secure communications channel.

The system ensures secure data entry. Hackers cannot modify or steal information that the user enters. This makes the technology an ideal way to protect sensitive customer data (such as PIN numbers) or transaction information (such as bank account details).

Banks would like to be able to do more with card readers and Todos’s new technology makes it possible. For example, they could let customers change their PIN code. Banks would also like to be able to do card management online. They could, for instance, download a loyalty application or new business functionality directly to the smart card.

In addition, Autograf enhances existing Todos transaction authentication functionality such as Dynamic Signatures (which varies the level of authentication according to the value of the transaction and the level of risk) and Sign-What-You-See 2.0 (which lets users verify transaction details, such as price, before approving them). The technology is currently being tested and will be available on Todos connectible smart card readers.

“Attacks on SSL have made banks worried,” says Peter Gullberg (photo), VP for Product Strategy at Todos. “Our patented technology takes trust to a whole new level and allows banks to set up secure links directly to the smart card reader itself, bypassing existing threats and risks completely. We hope it will cut down internet crime and allow banks to do much more with their smart cards.”

John Ahlberg, Communications Director

Todos AB

john.ahlberg@todos.se

http://www.todos.se

+46 31 775 88 00

Oberthur Technologies Simplifies EMV Migration for U.S. Card Issuers

Oberthur Technologies simplifies EMV Migration for U.S. Card Issuers

EMV in Box

Oberthur Technologies, the world's second largest provider of smart card based solutions and a leading contactless card provider in the U.S., today announced its breakthrough EMV migration solution, “EMV-in-Box”, for card issuers in the United States.

"At a time when the global marketplace is migrating to EMV to fight against rapidly increasing payment fraud, the U.S. will become isolated if it stays with magstripe-only technology," said Martin Ferenczi, Managing Director of the Americas Region for the Card Systems Division at Oberthur Technologies. "Oberthur's proven experience in EMV, our customer-focused EMV-in-a-Box solution along with our manufacturing and personalization footprint in the U.S. enables us to effectively deploy EMV cards in the U.S. today.“

Oberthur Technologies, which has issued over 500 million EMV cards globally, offers a comprehensive range of EMV payment solutions to meet clients’ needs, including contact, contactless and dual interface cards. EMV-in-a-Box, a fully integrated EMV migration solution and management program, is based on best practices gained by Oberthur Technologies’ work on more than 200 EMV projects worldwide. The program includes on-site consultation, EMV training, project management and technical support. The migration plan enables EMV cards to be issued within 12 weeks from project initiation. EMV (Europay MasterCard VISA) is a global specification for credit and debit payment cards based on chip card technology. The EMV standard, which offers enhanced security versus traditional magstripe cards, has widespread use and acceptance worldwide, excluding the United States.

Oberthur Technologies’ ISO 9001 certified manufacturing facility, in southeast Pennsylvania, recently completed a multi-million dollar expansion plan. The newly installed equipment includes milling and embedding lines for chip based cards. The expanded facility is targeted to have a card manufacturing capacity of over 20 million cards a month. EMV card personalization can take place at either of Oberthur Technologies two bi-coastal service centers, located in Los Angeles, California and Chantilly, Virginia.

Verifone Pulls Support from Heartland Payments Systems, but pledges to support Verifone customers.

If you use a Verifone product AND Heartland Payments Systems, you are asked to please register before December 15th which will entitle you to FREE Verifone Device Support.

Bell ID's I-PIN Platform

In the competitive banking industry of today, banks are seeking new means to provide optimal convenience to their cardholders. With this in mind, Bell ID has developed the I-PIN: an EMV PIN change application that can be integrated into the website of the issuing bank. With this solution, EMV cardholders can securely change their PIN on any computer with an Internet connection.

Historically, magnetic stripe cards PINs could easily be changed as these were stored centrally at the authorisation host and were always verified online. With EMV cards the situation has become more complicated as the card contains both an on- and offline PIN. The offline PIN is injected into the card during the card personalisation, providing the ability to verify the PIN in offline environments. In order to change an EMV offline PIN, an EMV script must be prepared and sent to the card in order to change the PIN. Merely updating the database is therefore not sufficient and requires an online connection with the card. The I-PIN realises EMV PIN changes over the Internet and ensures that both the on- and offline PIN of the card get synchronised.

Benefits

Cost reduction

Cards do not have to be re-issued when PINs get blocked; this saves on card production, logistical and distribution costs.

I-PIN is more economical than upgrading current ATM machines with PIN change functionalities (depending on number of cardholders and ATMs).

No need for expensive PIN pads as I-PIN has an on-screen PIN entry device.

Cardholders are able to change the PIN themselves, which saves on administration costs in comparison to in-branch PIN changes.

Competitive advantage

I-PIN is a user-friendly application. Why not enhance existing customer loyalty and attract new cardholders by providing an easy-to-change PIN functionality?

Customer convenience

Cardholders are enabled to securely change their PIN 24 hours a day from any PC that is connected to the Internet, which also optimises customer service.

In-Branch Capabilities

I-PIN can also be used for offering in-branch PIN change capabilities to issuers that do have service points. The solution can be hosted in a service desk inside a branch or as an over the counter service.

No acquiring infrastructure needed

As the I-PIN utilises the Internet to realise EMV PIN changes, no acquiring infrastructure is needed. This is especially interesting for banks without their own ATM infrastructure or for cardholders who live abroad or are travelling and do not have access to their bank's ATM network.

How I-PIN Works

The Internet PIN Change Solution makes use of a personal smart card reader and an Internet connection to allow cardholders to connect their cards to their bank via an existing Internet banking website in order to change the card PIN.

The cardholder will log onto their Internet banking account in the standard manner and select the PIN Change functionality. This will cause a Virtual PIN Entry Device (VPED) to be displayed.

The cardholder will then be prompted to insert their card and once the card has been read, the cardholder will enter their old PIN (optional) and new PIN. The PIN and card data will then be sent encrypted to the PIN Change Server (may be channelled via Internet Banking Server).

The PIN Change Server will send the old PIN (optional) and new PIN to the Issuer Host and ask the Issuer Host whether to change the PIN or block the card. If a PIN change is allowed for this card, the PIN Change Server will generate a PIN Change Script and send the script back to the card.

I-PIN Evaluation Kit

To demonstrate the ease of use and security features, Bell ID has released an evaluation kit of the I-PIN. This package includes a PC/SC reader, dual interface EMV card and access to Bell ID's I-PIN demonstration environment.

Should you be interested in such a kit, please request one here: