In the first installment of this two-part blog series, Navigating the EMV Testing and Certification Process, we explore the critical role that EMV cryptography plays in enhancing the security of retail (card-present) payment transactions.
Over the past 25 years, EMV Chip technology has truly transformed the payment processing landscape, with over 14 billion EMV cards currently in circulation, 95% of global in-store transactions are now chip-enabled. The net result has been a significant reduction in card-present (counterfeit) fraud – up to 90% in some markets.
In the first blog, we also reviewed several significant challenges associated with supporting the EMV chip technology. The ongoing effort to achieve and maintain compliance with the EMVCo standards, including testing and certification can be complex, time-consuming, and expensive. Some of the specific issues impacting these efforts include:
Working within the parameters established by EMVco often results in extended project cycles, missed delivery dates, cost overruns, and the delayed rollout of new revenue-generating initiatives. In the very dynamic payment industry that we operate in today, where consumers demand speed and convenience above all else, these delays can put any organization at a competitive disadvantage.
The most frustrating aspect of the entire testing and certification process for many organizations is the amount of time simply spent waiting. Waiting for test windows to open up, waiting for a response after a test, and waiting for guidance on how to correct an error before moving on to the next step in the process.
One specific area that can cause significant waiting times in the EMV testing and certification process is dealing with its complex cryptography.
As we have noted, sophisticated cryptography is at the core of how EMV chip cards ensure the integrity of retail payment transactions and protect against counterfeit fraud.
These cryptographic operations rely on the manipulation of specific data elements, or EMV tags, that are used to generate a unique Authorization Request Cryptogram (ARQC) for each transaction and validate the corresponding Authorization Response Cryptogram (ARPC) response from the card issuer.
The process works like this:
However, correctly calculating the ARQC and ARPC can be a challenging task. Every data element must be correctly selected, assembled, and processed to generate the unique ARQC cryptogram or the transaction will fail.
To generate a valid EMV ARQC, the following tags represent the baseline data required, as defined by the EMVCo specifications:
While these are the minimum requirements established by EMVCo, each card brand and payment network can - and does - impose its own set of global and regional variations on this baseline calculation. The result is a complicated matrix of complex requirements that is one of the primary causes of long delay in testing and lengthy certification time frames.
Many organizations, especially those responsible for acquiring transactions at the point of sale, do not have easy access to an issuer test system to validate that they are correctly formatting and generating the ARQC. They must schedule time and wait for limited access to scarce test resources before they can even run their test.
And even after they run their tests, they may face more delays in getting the test results and then even longer delays in getting guidance on how to correct errors if their tests have failed.
Designed to simplify and streamline payment testing operations, Paragon’s Web FASTest platform includes support for both the acquirer (sending) and issuer (receiving) components for dozens of ISO and non-ISO message specifications, including EMV contact and contactless transactions.
Web FASTest includes a powerful and flexible Cryptography Calculator that helps streamline EMV testing efforts and minimize wait times and delays.
Web FASTest, and the Cryptography Calculator in particular, put users in total control of the EMV testing process, saving time, reducing errors, and ensuring compliance with EMVCo and card brand requirements.
Navigating the complexities of EMV cryptography can be challenging, especially for resources who do not already have in-depth knowledge of how the technology works. The Web FASTest platform correctly formats and processes both the ARQC and ARPC cryptograms for international and regional card brands and networks.
Web FASTest also contains the Cryptography Calculator that can be used for detailed exploratory testing and troubleshooting.
Following is a high-level overview of how easy it is to access and work with the Cryptography Calculator in Web FASTest via the simple, browser-based user interface:
Consider the scenario where a transaction acquirer needs to verify that their device or application is correctly calculating the ARQC for a new transaction type.
With the Paragon Web FASTest solution, they simply set up the sending side of the transaction in their application and fire it off to the Virtual Host feature, which knows how to correctly respond to the incoming request message according to the specification being used.
The acquirer can make the necessary corrections and retest – no need to schedule or book test time and then wait for a response to come back later. Web FASTest and the Virtual Host are available 24/7 and ready for testing, anytime and from anywhere.
In the event that the acquirer resources still have problems getting the ARQC to process correctly, they can use the Web FASTest Cryptography Calculator to perform detailed analysis and troubleshooting until they get their transaction corrected.
This approach highlights the significant value that the Paragon tools provide as they streamline the EMV testing process to save users time, effort, and expense.
The Web FASTest platform is more than just a testing tool - it is a strategic asset that addresses several pain points associated with financial message testing, including contact and contactless EMV processing, and provides significant benefits, including:
The success of EMV chip technology as a deterrent against card-present fraud is clearly evident. No payment industry participant with any size or scale – either issuer or acquirer – can afford to operate without it.
However, adopting, supporting, and maintaining the EMVCo standards requires significant time, effort, and resources, especially when it comes to testing and certification. In this environment, the right testing tools can make a significant difference.
Paragon’s Web FASTest platform, with enhanced features and capabilities such as its EMV Cryptography Calculator, simplifies, streamlines, and automates payment testing operations, enabling any payment industry participant to minimize the ongoing overhead of compliance and maximize the productivity of its operations in order to focus on growth and innovation.
No matter if you are a card issuer, acquirer, retailer, payment processor, or terminal vendor, Web FASTest has been designed to provide each client with the features, functionality, and flexibility they require to take total control of their payment testing environment.
Interested in learning more about how Paragon can help your organization maximize the productivity of its payment testing operations by delivering advanced capabilities like the EMV Cryptography Calculator?
Request a consultation today. Our team of industry experts is standing by to help!
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