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Diagram illustrating a Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) architecture

HSM & Security

What is TEE (Trusted Execution Environment)?

A Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) is an environment where executed code and accessed data are isolated and protected in terms of confidentiality (no one has access to the data) and integrity (no one can alter the code or its behavior). We may not realize it, but many…

Diagram illustrating the structure of an ISO 8583 message field

ISO 8583

ISO 8583 Field Descriptions (F41)

F41 - CARD ACCEPTOR TERMINAL IDENTIFICATION: the terminal where a transaction took place. An 8-character alphanumeric value generated by the acquirer bank and assigned to the POS, managed as a unique terminal number at the acquirer.

Bitcoin coin symbol illustrating the first cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrency

What Is Bitcoin?

Bitcoin is a digital currency launched experimentally in 2009 by Satoshi Nakamoto. It has no ties to any central bank, can be bought and sold with national currencies and can be transferred without any intermediary.

Diagram illustrating the PIN Change/Unblock command process

EMV

What Is Pin Change/Unblock?

The Pin Change/Unblock command is used after card issuance to let the issuer remove a card's PIN block, or instantly change the reference PIN and remove its block, as well.

Photo of a Pin Entry Device (PIN pad) used for card payments

Merchant & POS

What is a Pin Entry Device (PED)?

Pin Entry Device is another name for the PIN pad device we all know and use daily. It makes it easier for users to enter their card PIN during POS transactions with credit or debit cards, and is used for contactless card reading...

Diagram explaining PVKI and PVV calculation in card PIN verification

Credit Card

What Is PVKI (PIN Verification Key Index)?

PVKI is the abbreviation for PIN Verification Key Index. It is located within the card's Track 1 and Track 2 data and is used in PVV calculation. It can take values from 1 to 6, usually defaulting to 1.

Payment card illustrating magnetic stripe data used for PIN verification

Credit Card

What is PVV (PIN Verification Value)?

PVV is the number encoded on a card's magnetic stripe that allows the cardholder's PIN to be verified by ATMs and POS terminals. It is a 4-digit cryptogram calculated through a cryptographic operation using the PIN and card data. The real result is longer than 4 digits.

Illustration representing the PIN Verification Key (PVK) concept in HSM security

Credit Card

What is PVK (Pin Verification Key)?

PVK (Pin Verification Key) is a key held on the HSM, used in PIN generation and verification, and therefore to confirm that a PIN is correct. On a shared network it is encrypted under TMK or ZMK; on a local network it is encrypted under one of the LMK pairs.

ISO 8583 field 64 message authentication code

ISO 8583

ISO 8583 Field Descriptions (F64)

F64 — Message Authentication Code (MAC): verifies the origin and text of the message between the sender and the receiver.

ATM PIN pad used for entering a card PIN

ATM

How is PIN verification performed at an ATM?

At payment points such as ATMs and POS terminals, the most critical step is PIN verification or verifying the customer through their identity information. However, since ATMs cannot verify a customer's identity, PIN verification becomes more important. So how is it performed?

HCE terminology and architecture diagram

HCE

Terms Used in HCE Terminology

When we talk about HCE methodology, many interacting architectural components come to mind. The core terms describing this architecture are listed below, starting with GCM/FCM (Google/Firebase Cloud Messaging), a service for sending push notifications.