Monday, July 25, 2011

Confident Technologies Unveils New Mobile Authentication Technology to Protect Online Businesses and Their Customers From Fraud

Image representing Confident Technologies as d...Image via CrunchBase
July 25, 2011 08:00 ET
Confident Multifactor AuthenticationTM Delivers an Entirely Out-of-Band, Image-Based Authentication Challenge on Mobile Devices to Secure the Second Factor and Protect From Zeus-in-the-Mobile Attacks

SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwire - Jul 25, 2011) - Confident Technologies, Inc., a provider of image-based authentication and verification solutions for websites and mobile applications, today unveiledConfident Multifactor Authentication™, a new approach to two-factor authentication that delivers an image-based authentication challenge to users' mobile phones for a more secure out-of-band authentication process.
An increasing number of online businesses and websites -- from online banks and healthcare portals, to Google and Facebook -- have started deploying two-factor authentication by sending authentication text messages to users' mobile phones for added security. Unfortunately, cybercriminals are keeping pace and have been increasingly targeting the mobile channel for attack. Using a variant of the infamous Zeus malware to intercept and reroute authentication text messages, cybercriminals can authenticate their own fraudulent transactions.
Confident Multifactor Authentication provides a completely new and highly secure way to protect online businesses and their customers from fraud and Zeus-in-the-Mobile (Zitmo) attacks, by securing the second factor and verifying that it is in fact the legitimate user in possession of the mobile device and not another person who may have stolen the user's phone or is surreptitiously intercepting the authentication text messages. The Confident Multifactor Authentication process remains completely out-of-band from the web session and is more secure than displaying an authentication code in plain text, as is done in an SMS text message or soft token.
How Confident Multifactor Authentication Works:
1. When a user first registers with the website or online service, they select a few categories of things they can easily remember -- such as dogs, flowers and cars.
2. When out-of-band authentication is needed -- such as when the user is attempting to transfer money to another account -- an application on the user's smartphone displays a randomly-generated grid of pictures that has a one-time authentication code encrypted within it.
3. The user identifies the pictures that fit their previously-chosen, secret categories by tapping the appropriate pictures on the smartphone display. By identifying the correct pictures, the user is essentially reassembling the one-time authentication code that was encrypted within the grid of images.
The process takes just seconds and because the user authenticates right on the second factor device, it remains completely out-of-band from the web session. The specific pictures displayed on the image grid are different every time, but the user's categories always remain the same. This prevents someone else from learning the user's secret categories by shoulder-surfing or planting keystroke logging malware on the mobile phone.
Because the user must apply a form of secret knowledge on the second factor device itself, Confident Multifactor Authentication verifies that it is actually the legitimate user in possession of the second factor and not another person. Even if someone else gained physical or virtual possession of the mobile device, they would not be able to correctly authenticate when presented with the image grid because they do not know the user's secret categories.
In the wake of continuing large-scale password leaks at sites such as Sony and Gawker Media Group -- where more than 100 million user credentials were published online -- it is clear that businesses need more than just a single layer of password protection on externally-facing websites to protect online accounts and prevent fraud. From financial institutions needing to comply with FFIEC guidelines for strong authentication, to healthcare organizations seeking to provide secure patient access to online medical records, to e-commerce sites protecting access to credit card information stored in customer accounts, organizations across all industries are moving to strengthen user authentication.
"Businesses are struggling to find a way to deploy strong authentication on public-facing websites without excessively burdening their customers," said Curtis Staker, Chief Executive Officer, Confident Technologies. "It's a step in the right direction that more websites are deploying two-factor authentication for users, but the common approaches including SMS and soft tokens, are not very secure. More than 160,000 mobile phones are lost or stolen each day in the US alone and even more are infected with malware -- giving someone other than the owner physical or virtual possession of the second factor. When authentication codes are clearly displayed in plain text in an SMS message or as part of a soft token on the phone, they add virtually no security because anybody with physical or virtual possession of that second factor device can read the code and use it to authenticate a fraudulent transaction."
By encrypting authentication codes within a graphical display, Confident Multifactor Authentication provides a revolutionary new approach that solves the challenge of balancing strong security with ease-of-use, and makes the second factor secure from both sophisticated threats like Zitmo as well as low-tech threats like the physical loss or theft of the device.
Deployment and Integration Options
Confident Multifactor Authentication is a cloud-based service that can be used as a stand-alone multifactor authentication solution or integrated with existing authentication technologies, risk engines and security processes already in use -- including integrating it with existing SMS-based authentication services to graphically encrypt authentication codes and improve the security of the SMS delivery. It can be deployed as an application on users' smartphones or delivered as a zero-footprint model using the web browser on the mobile phone. Additional delivery options are available to serve users who do not have smartphones.
Confident Technologies' patent-pending approach to the encryption and graphical display of authentication codes is available for white-label integrations by security vendors, application developers and businesses wanting to incorporate the image-based authentication approach in their own mobile applications, web services or security offerings.
AvailabilityConfident Multifactor Authentication is currently available for trial use and evaluation by select organizations. Businesses interested in using Confident Multifactor Authentication can contactsales@confidenttechnologies.com or +1 (858) 345-5640. For more information visitwww.confidenttechnologies.com/multifactor.
About Confident TechnologiesConfident Technologies, Inc. provides intuitive and secure, image-based authentication and verification technologies for websites, web services, mobile applications and mobile payments. Multifactor authentication solutions from Confident Technologies increase security without the need for expensive hardware tokens, smart cards or biometrics and improve user experience through an easy-to-use, image-based interface. For more information, visit www.confidenttechnologies.com.
Follow Confident Technologies on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ConfidentTech
Watch Confident Technologies on YouTube: www.youtube.com/ConfidentTech
Copyright 2011 Confident Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved. Confident Technologies is a registered trademark of Confident Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
Enhanced by Zemanta

Netbiscuits and Admeris Create Mobile Commerce Payment Partnership

Image representing Netbiscuits as depicted in ...Image via CrunchBase

July 25, 2011 08:30 ET


Admeris Partnership Provides Additional, Simplified M-Commerce Payment Options for Netbiscuits Development Partners and Brands

Admeris Payment Systems Inc.TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - July 25, 2011) - Netbiscuits, the world's leading cloud software service for cross-platform development and publishing of mobile websites and apps, today announced a Technology VAS partnership with Admeris Payment Systems to provide the Admeris patent-pending OneTouch m-commerce payment platform to its robust developer community, brands and partners. The partnership will see Admeris make its payment infrastructure available for Netbiscuits partners who need credit or debit card processing to help monetize mobile content or applications utilizing the Netbiscuits mobile development platform.
OneTouch is an end-to-end mobile commerce solution combining a revolutionary process around encryption and authentication of credit card and banking account transactions, creating a simple end-user experience. Admeris is known for their expertise in end-to-end PCI compliant mobile commerce solutions that combines authentication of end-users and transactions, creating the simplest and most secure mobile credit card payment experience in the market.
"Netbiscuits has deep experience in the mobile space. The company has been a proven leader in the industry for a decade. The Admeris OneTouch m-commerce platform will provide Netbiscuits mobile developers the simplest and most secure experience for processing credit and debit card transactions. This will translate into higher conversion rates on transactions and reduced chargebacks. We're thrilled to be a partner within this community," commented Jim Brown, SVP Business Development at Admeris.
Commenting on the partnership, Robert Slaughter, Senior Partner Manager for Netbiscuits said, "In Admeris we found a versatile and powerful partner that has built a reputation on providing clients with multiple payment options, simple integration, rapid customer service, and additional layers of security to reduce fraud."
To learn more about Affiliate Commerce Exchange go to www.netbiscuits.com or www.admeris.com/mcommerce.

Enhanced by Zemanta

Monster Offers' Mobile Payment Strategy Validated by Daily Deal Industry


ZalaPay Helps Daily Deal Providers Convert Customers and Increase Sales
Deals 3D 2011
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Monster Offers (OTCBB: MONT), a leading mobile solutions company and Daily Deal aggregator, announced today its mobile payment strategy is perfectly positioned to meet the current needs of the Daily Deal industry. As Daily Deal providers converged at last week's Deals 3D Conference in San Francisco, creating better mobile experiences and integrating mobile payment solutions prevailed as hot topics as the next phase of business development for the group buying industry.
http://monsteroffers.com
“Recent announcements for payment solutions from MasterCard, Google, American Express and Facebook all substantiate the power of our business model. We aim to provide an even greater value proposition to the user, deal provider, and merchant with our ZalaPay platform which provides an “in-app”
Monster Offers' ZalaPay mobile payment solution proved to resonate with Daily Deal providers as current payment methods lack tight integration with providers’ sites and distracts users from completing the purchase process, especially from mobile devices. The ZalaPay solution provides a truly integrated “in-app” purchase experience for the user, resulting in significant conversion of sales for the deal publisher.
Monster Offers' mobile financial services include “EZ-Click” Mobile Cashier, Pre-Paid Debit Cards, P2P Mobile Money, Redemption, and Daily Deal Wallet. The first of these integrated in-app mobile solutions is expected to be available later this summer.
MONSTER OFFERS QUOTE
"Recent announcements for payment solutions from MasterCard, Google, American Express and Facebook all substantiate the power of our business model. We aim to provide an even greater value proposition to the user, deal provider, and merchant with our ZalaPay platform which provides an “in-app” purchase experience across all mobile platforms. When customers can purchase deals within the application, user conversion increases exponentially. With Monster Offers' ZalaPay mobile payment solution, we are perfectly positioned to offer Daily Deal publishers a mobile payment solution that can increase sales and boost revenue."
- Paul Gain, Monster Offers CEO
About Monster Offers:
Monster Offers is a leading mobile banking solutions company and Daily Deal aggregator, collecting daily deals from multiple sites in local communities across the U.S. and Canada. Focused on providing innovation and utility for Daily Deal consumers and providers, the company collects and publishes thousands of daily deals and allows consumers to organize these deals by geography or product categories, or to personalize the results using keyword search. The company will introduce new mobile technology in 2011 to address unmet category needs in areas such as loyalty, rewards, payment processing, merchant services, and a Daily Deal eWallet. Monster Offers recently launched its Hyper-Local Daily Deal Reporting Program, designed to help providers improve the revenue and profits of local and regional Daily Deal programs. More information can be found by visitinghttp://www.monsteroffers.com.

Moneystar Appoints Citi® Prepaid Services in South Africa


JOHANNESBURG & LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Citigroup, through its Global Transaction Services unit, today announced that Citibank, N.A., South Africa Branch, has signed an agreement with Moneystar, a financial services provider based in South Africa. Under this arrangement, Moneystar has started disbursing micro loans to eligible loan applicants using Citi’s Visa® Prepaid Card.
“Moneystar is pleased to have taken hands with Citi South Africa in this venture and we foresee a number of Prepaid Cards being distributed in the market in a short space of time”
http://www.citigroup.comCiti is delighted to support Moneystar and the South African community with its Prepaid Card Capabilities”, says Donna Oosthuyse, Citi Country Officer for South Africa. It represents a significant contribution to the Microfinance industry as Citi will be facilitating the payment of Microfinance loans to South African citizens, thereby supporting responsible finance.”
"Moneystar is pleased to have taken hands with Citi South Africa in this venture and we foresee a number of Prepaid Cards being distributed in the market in a short space of time", says Eugene van Niekerk, CEO of Moneystar.
Global Transaction Services, a division of Citi’s Institutional Clients Group, offers integrated cash management, trade, and securities and fund services to multinational corporations, financial institutions and public sector organizations around the world. With a network that spans more than 100 countries, Citigroup’s Global Transaction Services supports over 65,000 clients. As of the second quarter of 2011, it held on average $365 billion in liability balances and $13.5 trillion in assets under custody.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Signature vs. PIN, Post-Durbin Style




Signature-based debit transactions carried higher interchange rates than PIN debit transactions for many years. The Durbin Amendment will finally balance those fees, but with this change comes a debate over the future of these two types of transactions.
In a panel discussion at the AFP Retail Roundtable in May, Steve Mott, CEO of BetterBuyDesign, explained that signature debit transactions do not exist in many countries outside the U.S., other than France, the U.K. and some Asian countries. It has not really caught on elsewhere because most consumers view debit transactions as using “their” money, which they are putting into the bank for “safe-keeping,” Mott said. 
The Federal Reserve issued its final rule on debit interchange fees on June 29, setting signature and PIN at 21 cents per transaction. Banks also are allowed to charge slightly more if they take steps to avoid fraud. The new rule goes into effect on October 1.
Some industry experts now expect financial institutions to begin pushing their PIN-based product, which currently carries fees of about 10 cents per transaction. However, this is not a viable option for Visa and some of the larger financial institutions, Mott told Payments in an exclusive interview. “I think they would prefer to figure out how they can get around the intent of whatever the regulations turn out to be to promote the golden goose of signature debit as long as they possibly can, at least in the United States. And I think Visa’s long-term strategy is to kill PIN, because it takes almost all of the possible fraud and problems out of the system. And that’s not good for the payments industry because they make all of their money on inefficiencies in the payments system.”
Security 
Signature debit carries a high potential for fraud, noted one retailer at the session. Panelist Pat Moran, Senior Vice President, Product Management of Fifth Third Processing Solutions, said that amount of fraud on signature debit is actually very low, “in the three basis point range, on volume.” However, Moran admitted that there is next to no fraud with PIN debit. Moreover, session moderator David Bellinger, CTP, Director of Payments at AFP, added that the Fed found loss rates for signature to be “tremendously higher” than any fraud discovered with PIN.
Bellinger asked the crowd whether or not refusing signature debit is a legitimate option, and they universally agreed that it is not. “It’s possible to say that you can stop taking signature debit, but when you are a merchant that has been in business for a number of years, and your customers are conditioned to coming in—you face a real loss of revenue,” said one corporate in attendance.
One corporate asked why the banks continue to push an inferior product. “As a consumer, I feel much more secure using PIN debit because only I know my PIN,” he said.
Moran agreed that PIN is much more secure than signature. But to reach a more secure solution, the costs are high, he said. “Ninety percent of our merchant customers don’t take PIN today,” he said.
There are other significant incentives for card issuers to push signature transactions. “The issuer may get their interchange regardless of whether it’s PIN or signature, but for Visa and MasterCard, there’s a little add-on beyond interchange that they risk losing,” said one retailer.
Mott cited this is as another reason why Visa is trying to expunge PIN, which it views as a static authenticator, and move to dynamic authentication, EMV (Europay, MasterCard and Visa) chip and PIN—with a slight alteration.
 “They don’t want to tie the transaction to the consumer, which is why the fraud and the chargeback and charge-off rates are so low for PIN,” said Mott. “But they also don’t actually encrypt the information on the account credential that’s in the card with the chip on it. They leave the PAN (Primary Account Number) and the expiration date in the clear. They encrypt the CVD (Card Verification Data) code, a small piece of data that provides a unique transaction ID, and that goes with the PAN and expiry date all the way through the system and back to the merchant.
“The problem with that solution is that doesn’t relieve the merchant from PCI compliance. You still have the PAN and expiry date. Not only that, but I can shop on dozens of online sites with just the PAN and expiry date, because they don’t look for the CVD. So Visa, in my view, is playing three-card Monte with payments security. If you take the PIN out and leave the PAN and expiry date in the clear, the merchants don’t really benefit fundamentally from the shift to EMV.”
Excerpted from the July issue of Payments. 

Six Tips to Help Reduce the Risk of Identity Theft


On Average, Victims Pay $631 in out-of-pocket costs per Identity Theft Incident

CHANTILLY, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IDENTITY GUARD®, a product of Intersections Inc. (Nasdaq: INTX) today reminds consumers that Identity theft remains a major threat to consumers of all ages. Fraud protection is essential for everyone from infants to adolescents to adults because identity theft is such a costly and potentially life-changing crime.
According to a February 2011 Javelin Strategy & Research report on identity theft and fraud protection, more than 8.1 million identities were stolen in 2010. On average, victims ofidentity theft were responsible for paying $631 in out-of-pocket costs, such as those to cover fraudulent debt or legal fees, which is a significant rise from $387 in 2009. The California-based market research firm says the increased need for fraud protection may stem from thieves focusing more on new account debit card fraud.
The climbing costs may provide individuals with even more incentive to better monitor their credit reports and scores. While a credit and fraud protection program can be a great asset, consumers should also make sure to take the proper steps to lower their risk of identity theft.
Here are six tips that may help consumers better defend against thieves.
1. Avoid throwing away any private documentation - bills, credit card offers, bank statements - that contains personal identifying details without first running it through a paper shredder.
2. Take receipts after a purchase and check their listed amounts against credit card bills. This approach may help a person identify any fraudulent charges on his or her statements.
3. Avoid carrying your Social Security card out of your home unless it's absolutely necessary.
4. Have your mail delivery temporarily suspended when you are on vacation.
5. Use a different password for each online account and construct passwords with a combination of numbers, capital letters, and, if possible, symbols.
6. Stay abreast of the latest online fraud tactics. Knowing what scams are out there can help individuals practice safer Web browsing behavior.
Identity Guard® is a product of Intersections Inc. (Nasdaq: INTX), a leading provider of consumer and corporate identity risk management services. Intersections has protected 32 million consumers worldwide since 1996. Applying the same 24/7 technology that the biggest names in financial services provide to their customers, the Identity Guard product responds to ever-increasing personal security challenges – protecting your most valuable assets – your credit and your identity. Follow Identity Guard on Twitter@IdentityG and fan Identity Guard on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/IdentityGuard.

Heartland Payment Systems Announces Conference Call to Discuss Second Quarter 2011 Results


PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Heartland Payment Systems, Inc. (NYSE: HPY), one of the nation’s largest payments processor, today announced that its results for the second quarter 2011 will be released before the market opens on Thursday, July 28, 2011. A copy of the earnings release will be available on the investor relations portion of the Company’s website at: www.heartlandpaymentsystems.com.
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Robert Carr, President Robert Baldwin, and Chief Financial Officer Maria Rueda will host a conference call beginning at 8:30 AM Eastern Time, Thursday, July 28, 2011, to discuss second quarter results and conduct a question and answer session.
Heartland Payment Systems invites all interested parties to listen to its conference call broadcast through a webcast on the Company’s website. To access the call, please visit the Investor Relations portion of the Company’s website at: www.heartlandpaymentsystems.com. The webcast will be archived on the Company’s website within two hours of the live call and will remain available through October 28, 2011.
You may also participate by calling (877) 627-6544 and providing the operator with Pin Number 1695414.
About Heartland Payment Systems
Heartland Payment Systems, Inc. (NYSE: HPY), the fifth largest payments processor in the United States, delivers credit/debit/prepaid card processing, gift marketing and loyalty programs, payroll, check management and related business solutions to more than 250,000 business locations nationwide. A FORTUNE 1000 company, 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. The company is also a leader in the development of end-to-end encryption technology designed to protect cardholder data, rendering it useless to cybercriminals. For more information, please visit HeartlandPaymentSystems.com, MerchantBillOfRights.org, CostOfABurger.com and E3secure.com.

Ingenico and ScanSource Partner for U.S. Product Distribution


Ingenico and ScanSource, Inc. Partner to Optimize Product Distribution in the U.S.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA--(Marketwire - July 2011) - Ingenico, the leading worldwide provider of payment devices and services, and ScanSource, Inc. (NASDAQ:SCSC), the leading international distributor of point of sale, AIDC (automatic identification and data capture), communications, and physical security products for the reseller market, today announced a joint non-exclusive partnership to co-market and distribute Ingenico's POS products by leveraging ScanSource's extensive reseller/VAR network in the U.S. According to the agreement, ScanSource, Inc. will start carrying, marketing and distributing Ingenico's industry-leading POS devices to its extensive reseller network. As a result, Ingenico will significantly expand the distribution channel and shorten its time-to-market cycle for its integrated multi-lane retail POS products in the U.S.
Through this agreement, Ingenico will co-market its entire line of multi- lane terminals, including Ingenico's newest TELIUM POS products: the iSC250/350 Signature Capture devices, the iPP320/350 Series PIN Pads, as well as the i6000 family of Signature Capture terminals, custom stands and product related accessories. In addition, Ingenico will provide a comprehensive product and software training for ScanSource's sales and technical support teams to ensure their outstanding product and services support to reseller partners.
"The POS retail channel in the U.S. is unique, complex, and very dynamic. It demands excellence in product quality, customer service and efficient distribution," says Thierry Denis, President of Ingenico North America. "Together with ScanSource's new Payment Solutions Suite, which includes a brand new key injection facility, we will provide an effective solution for resellers and VARs. ScanSource, Inc. as the value-added distributer with its proven high-growth business model, solid market strength, and customer-centric company culture provides a perfect fit for our business. We are excited about the partnership, its market potential and the benefits it will bring to our mutual customers."
This latest partnership will enable both companies to focus on creating new avenues for continued success in meeting their customers' solution, service and support needs.
"We look forward to offering Ingenico's high-quality solutions to our reseller partners. This partnership helps us to round out our payment solutions offering, enabling resellers to offer a more complete POS solution, while also creating potential new revenue streams for them," said Jeff Yelton, president, ScanSource POS & Barcoding. "With our Payment Solutions Suite services, we are able to streamline processes and manage the configuration and key injection services resellers need to meet their end-users' demands."
Both companies will have a joint presence and exhibit at the RSPA's RetailNow 2011 Show on July 24th-27th at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort in Orlando, Florida. Please stop by booth #606 to learn more about the partnership and its benefits to the point-of-sale reseller community.
About Ingenico (ING)
Ingenico (Euronext: FR0000125346 – ING) is a leading provider of payment solutions, with over 15 million terminals deployed in more than 125 countries. Its 3,000 employees worldwide support retailers, banks and service providers to optimize and secure their electronic payments solutions, develop their offer of services and increase their point of sales revenue. More information on www.ingenico.com.
About ScanSource, Inc.
ScanSource, Inc. (NASDAQ:SCSC) is the leading international distributor of specialty technology products, consisting of seven sales units in North America, Latin America and Europe. ScanSource POS and Barcoding in North America, Latin America and Europe delivers AIDC and POS solutions; Catalyst Telecom in the US, and ScanSource Communications in North America and Europe, provide voice, video and converged communications equipment; and ScanSource Security in North America offers physical security solutions. Founded in 1992, the company ranks #839 on the Fortune 1000. For more information, call the toll-free sales telephone number at 800.944.2432 or visit www.scansourceinc.com.

codeREADr Smartphone App Adds GPS Location to Barcode Scanning for Administrative Tracking of Access, Attendance, Events and Transactions in Real-Time


Device Location Is Securely Posted Online to Remote Servers Along With Scanned Data, the App User ID, Service ID, Device ID and Manually Entered Data

BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - Jul 22, 2011) - Skycore LLC, a mobile solutions specialist since 2003, has today introduced a new feature for codeREADr, their Android barcode scanning app for smartphones, which now reports device location in real time along with scanned and manually input data for tracking access, attendance, events and transactions of contractors, employees, students and assets.
Enterprises can create an unlimited number of tracking and validation services and, when appropriate, add location tracking to record and post the physical location of each scan or entry made by the app user.
Location data is uploaded to codeREADr's integrated web service along with the data embedded in the scanned barcode; the app user's ID; the service ID; the unique device ID and any other data collected as the specific service is performed.
Data is posted in real-time to codeREADr's servers or stored on the device and later posted as a batch file. Administrators can review data directly from codeREADr's web service or alternatively export or email it for further processing.
An optional PostBack URL service is available for posting data directly from codeREADr's severs to the administrator's servers for processing, action and response. Open developer API's are also available for third-party integration of the codeREADr platform.
Location tracking requires positive affirmation from the app user by initiating tracking and confirming GPS or network location prior to posting data. The app user is issued sign-in credentials by the enterprise administrator, triggering the loading of only approved services for that user.
"Our Android upgrade will be released for our Apple and BlackBerry codeREADr apps in Q3, 2011. Our roadmap also includes reading NFC tokens to complement our app's scanning, search, data entry and location features," said Rich Eicher, CEO, Skycore LLC.

Disqus for ePayment News