F35 TRACK-2 DATA: The values printed to the card's Track 2 data in ISO 7813 format, including field separators, together with the start and end sentinels, but excluding LRC (Longitudinal Redundancy Check) characters. It is 37 characters long.
It contains the card number, expiration date, and CVV values.
Structure of Track 2 data
Track 2 data is the information found on the second track of the card's magnetic stripe. It contains the following information, in order:
- Card number (PAN)
- Separator character (=)
- Expiration date (in YYMM format)
- Service code (3 digits)
- Data reserved for use by the issuing bank (this section also contains the card verification value, CVV1/CVC1)
This verification value is not the same as the security code (CVV2/CVC2) printed on the back of the card and used for online purchases.
Track 2 on chip cards
On chip cards, an equivalent of the magnetic stripe data is also found within the chip and is carried under EMV tag 57 (Track 2 Equivalent Data). In chip transactions, the terminal reads this data from the chip and adds it to the authorization message.
Importance in terms of security
Track 2 data is sensitive, because if copied it can be used to produce a counterfeit magnetic stripe card. Under the PCI DSS standard, storage of Track 2 data by the merchant or service provider is prohibited after the transaction has been authorized. In addition, this data must not be transmitted over the network unencrypted. On chip cards, however, a different cryptogram is generated for each transaction, so transactions attempted with copied data can be detected by the issuing bank.
