Interac Flash – Security Against Electronic Pick-Pocketing Tactic

February 7, 2012

MARKHAM, Ontario, February 7th, 2012 – Everlink, a leading provider of Integrated Payment Solutions and Services in the Canadian marketplace, annouces a security message from Interac Association…
[hr]
There have been some media stories in the United States, and now Canada, indicating that fraudsters can steal sensitive card data from contactless enabled credit and debit cards using a small computer device positioned near the wallet/card.

The EMV-related security features of Interac Flash protect sensitive card data from this type of tactic.

Key messages

Interac Flash is a contactless enhancement of Interac Debit, providing cardholders with all of the same safety and security, only faster.

Interac Flash is protected against electronic pick-pocketing because Interac Flash only leverages EMV-based secure chip processing instead of magnetic stripe data (less secure) type processing.

      • This means that it is secured using a number of layered cryptographic techniques that protect against skimming, counterfeiting, and transaction replay types of fraud.
      • The information used to secure these transactions can not be unwrapped or duplicated from this type of fraud tactic, i.e., it is useless to a fraudster.

In addition, Interac Flash does NOT leverage RFID technology. We use RF enabled smartcard technology.

      • RFID is typically used in environments such as inventory management.
      • RF smartcard technology is specifically designed to protect sensitive information and adheres to an ISO standard, which defines the security environment in which communication must take place.

The information on an Interac debit card is basic payment related codes needed to process transactions, e.g., service code and card number. The cards do not contain account numbers. The information cannot be used to produce a counterfeit card or transaction.

In some of the reported cases, counterfeit credit cards were created and used to conduct “card-not-present” transactions over the Internet. The Interac system does not allow for card-not-present fraud.

When buying online with Interac Online, transactions are carried out using the security of financial institutions’ Web banking sites. Given the structure of Interac Online, stolen cards and even PINs cannot be used to complete Internet transactions.

[hr]
About Everlink
Everlink Payment Services Inc. based in Markham, ON, is a joint-venture company owned by FIS and Celero Solutions, and is fully compliant and EMV certified with the Interac, MasterCard and Visa associations. Everlink is a recognized leader in the dependable secure delivery of Electronic Transaction Processing services, EMV Chip, Managed ATM Services and Integrated Payment Solutions in the Canadian financial services marketplace. Everlink is the first in Canada to instantly issue a fully personalized, Interac and MasterCard certified EMV Chip card.