Payments Security Task Force, PCI Security Standards Council and the
EMV Migration Forum Launch Educational and Pre-Qualification Process for
Resellers and Software Vendors
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
The Payments Security Task Force today joined with the PCI Security
Standards Council and the EMV Migration Forum to launch a chip education
curriculum and “pre-qualification” program to help streamline and
simplify the EMV testing and certification process for Value Added
Resellers (VARs) and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs).
Through this industrywide effort, VARs and ISVs will better understand
how to integrate chip cards into small and mid-sized merchants’ checkout
solutions in advance of the October 2015 liability shifts scheduled by
major U.S. payment networks.
“One of the greatest challenges in the move to chip is helping the
millions of small and mid-sized merchants understand and adopt the
technology,” said Stephanie Ericksen, vice president of global risk
products at Visa. “A streamlined process will help their payment
technology suppliers better prepare and implement chip card acceptance,
as the push to chip gains greater traction.”
The optional program consists of three central components:
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An educational curriculum that provides a clear explanation of how to
implement chip in the U.S. electronic payments marketplace
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A list of service providers independently accredited by the major
payment networks to provide chip consulting and expertise
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A pre-qualification process run by the accredited service providers to
help VARs and ISVs begin the implementation and testing process before
they work with acquirers to achieve final certification
Major U.S. acquirers participated in the development of the program and
will recognize the pre-qualification status. Many plan to provide fast
track certification for VARs and ISVs that have demonstrated the
execution of solid chip solutions.
“The migration to chip in the U.S. is different from what we have seen
occur in other countries and requires greater cooperation and scale,”
said Carolyn Balfany, senior vice president, MasterCard. “The industry,
through a coordinated effort like this, is best positioned to help
merchants and their partners accelerate the implementation of chip to
deliver their customers a safer shopping experience.”
“Successful EMV implementation in the U.S. requires cross-industry
efforts to prepare for the migration and collaboration across key
payments players. Similar cross-industry efforts will streamline EMV
deployment and maximize resource effectiveness, driving a more secure
consumer payments experience,” said Nicole Carroll, vice president of
global products and solutions, Discover.
Merchants have the ability to prepare their checkout systems today to
continue to deliver their customers an even more secure shopping
experience.
How It Works
The coordinated effort will begin with the launch of educational
resources for the VAR and ISV communities to establish an understanding
of chip technology. Some of the subjects addressed through targeted
webinars and self-service web portals include:
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The basics of chip card technology
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How to build a business case for chip
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An overview of a chip card transaction
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How to navigate the testing and certification process.
With that foundation, each VAR and ISV should have the ability to
pre-qualify its solution for each of the major U.S. payment networks.
The VAR would then work with its acquirer to receive a final
certification of the solutions a merchant would need to process a chip
card transaction.
The result will be a streamlined, go-to-market process for the thousands
of solutions that will provide ongoing value over the next two to three
years, as the U.S. migrates to chip.
To learn more about the educational efforts, visit
http://www.emv-connection.com/chip-education-for-vars-isvs-and-merchants/
To begin the pre-qualification process, visit
https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/approved_companies_providers/var_qualifications_program.php
About the Payments Security Task Force
The Payments Security Task Force was formed in early 2014 to drive
executive-level discussion for the purpose of enhancing payments system
security. The Task Force includes a diverse group of participants in the
U.S. electronic payments industry, including payment networks, banks of
various sizes, credit unions, acquirers, retailers, point-of-sale device
manufacturers and industry trade groups.
Among the Task Force participants are American Express, Bank of America,
Capital One, Chase, Citi, Credit Union National Association, Discover,
First Data, Global Payments Inc., Kroger, National Association of
Federal Credit Unions, Marriott, MasterCard, Navy Federal Credit Union,
Sheetz, Shell, Subway, US Bank, Vantiv, Verifone, Visa Inc., Walgreens,
and Wells Fargo & Company.
About the PCI Security Standards Council
The PCI Security Standards Council is an open global forum that is
responsible for the development, management, education, and awareness of
the PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and other standards that
increase payment data security. Founded in 2006 by the major payment
card brands American Express, Discover, JCB International, MasterCard
and Visa Inc., the Council has 700 Participating Organizations
representing merchants, banks, processors and vendors worldwide. To
learn more about playing a part in securing payment card data globally,
please visit pcisecuritystandards.org.
Connect with the PCI Council on LinkedIn. Join the conversation on
Twitter @PCISSC.
About the EMV Migration Forum
The EMV Migration Forum is a cross-industry body focused on supporting
the EMV chip implementation steps required for payment networks,
issuers, processors, merchants, and consumers to help ensure a
successful introduction of more secure chip technology in the United
States. The focus of the Forum is to address topics that require some
level of industry cooperation and/or coordination to migrate
successfully to chip technology in the United States. For more
information on the EMV Migration Forum, please visit http://www.emv-connection.com/emv-migration-forum/.
Source: Visa Inc.