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Intel, Visa partner on payments encryption for connected devices

The two tech giants want to build secure payments encryption into the hardware layer of chipsets in connected devices.
Written by Natalie Gagliordi, Contributor

A new collaboration between Visa and Intel is aiming to drive better payment security for connected devices.

Specifically, the two tech giants want to build secure payments encryption into the hardware layer of chipsets in connected devices. That would mean all future Intel-powered devices will encrypt stored payments data both while at rest and in motion to "provide more secure data transmission."

In other words, if a hacker exploits a vulnerabilty and gains access to a device, any payments data stored on that device will be encrypted and unusable.

The encryption effort is based in part on Intel's Digital Protection Technology (DPT), but with the addition Visa's 3D Secure authentication process, which helps merchants and issuers distinguish between between good and bad transactions. DPT is also seen as a way to facilitate payments acceptance in non-traditional channels, such as computers, mobile and IoT devices.

"The rise of connected devices will ... open up new entry points for hackers," said Mark Nelsen, SVP of risk and authentication products at Visa. "Tackling this security challenge requires a new level of coordination between players in payments, technology and computing. Working with Intel, we're ensuring that the next generation of payment devices have security hardwired at the ground level."

Intel Online Connect will be embedded in the new 7th Gen Intel Core processors and will work with the existing 3D Secure protocol and the upcoming 2.0 version, which EMVCo is expected to release this year.

In a separate announcement, Visa said it's opening up the Visa Checkout platform to other digital wallet services. Visa Checkout enables users to sign in with a single username and password to complete a payment process, without needing to leave a merchant's website or app.

Google's Android Pay is the first partner signed up for the integration.

"With this partnership, Android Pay and Visa Checkout will deliver a frictionless purchase experience at thousands of online merchants that support Visa Checkout," said Pali Bhat, global head of payments products for Google. "We look forward to extending the reach of Android Pay by giving online shoppers even more ways to use Android Pay across the web."

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