PCI SSC issues updated PIN security requirements for ATMs, POS devices

The Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council has released v2.0 of the PIN Security Requirements, according to a PCI SSC news release.

The program contains a complete set of requirements for the secure management, processing and transmission of personal identification number data at ATMs and attended and unattended point-of-sale terminals.

PCI PIN Security Requirements v2.0 aims to enhance usability and understanding by stating the requirements in a more granular manner, the council said.

Of note is the incorporation of testing procedures into the requirements, which resulted in two versions of the document — PCI PIN Security Requirements v2.0 and PCI PIN Security Requirements and Test Procedures v2.0. The council said that including testing producers in a separate version will facilitate a smoother evaluation and deeper understanding of the requirements.

The council also has published a Summary of Significant Changes document that provides a high-level look at the significant modifications to the requirements.

Examples of common vulnerabilities for PIN theft addressed by requirements include:

  • PINs that are not protected by use of a secure PIN block;
  • failure to use approved cryptographic devices for PIN processing;
  • cryptographic keys that are non-random and non-unique to each POI device, and keys that never change;
  • few, if any, documented PIN-protection procedures;  and
  • audit trails or logs that are not maintained.

(ATMmarketplace)

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