Thales, a leading supplier of IT security products and solutions for all critical infrastructures, announces today that its leading EMV data preparation software, P3, has been upgraded to support the latest versions of the credit and debit applications from MasterCard, Visa, American Express and JCB for both contact and contactless smart cards.
P3 provides issuers with increased choice and flexibility to generate EMV data in various formats for use by a wide range of card personalisation systems, located either in-house or in a card production bureau. In line with the card associations' commitment to developing common standards among payments systems, Thales' P3 software is compatible with the latest version of the Common Payment Application (CPA), an EMVCo initiative supported by JCB, MasterCard and Visa that aims to reduce cost and complexity for card issuers.
Thales' long-term support of contactless card issuing is now seeing growing demand for P3 on a global basis. P3 V1.7 supports the latest versions of the MasterCard PayPass, Visa Paywave and JCB J/Speedy contactless applications, ensuring that issuers are able to deploy the applications on all types of proprietary and open standard card types available. P3 V1.7 is already being used to produce cards for one of the UK contactless roll-outs.
Paul Meadowcroft, head of transaction security for the e-security activities of Thales said: “The release of P3 version 1.7 demonstrates that Thales is not only committed to the latest industry regulations but is also forging ahead to offer additional services and solutions beyond current card association requirements. Thales is working closely with the card associations to ensure that they are able to embrace the growing number of challenges they face, including factors such as improving end-to-end payment security and introducing contactless card payments as a means of replacing low value cash transactions.”
Security is an integral part of the P3 application design, together with the P3CM range of crypto modules. Thales ensures that its products are compatible with the card association physical and security audit requirements and the latest version of P3 also strengthens its compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).
Notes to the Editor
Thales is a world leader in the provision of cryptographic security products and solutions for all critical infrastructures including governments, the military, satellite networks, enterprises and the finance industry. Thales has 40 years of unrivalled track record in protecting networks up to TOP SECRET and a complete portfolio of products, which includes network encryption, access control and remote user solutions. In the financial world, Thales secures value bearing transactions, data preparation for card and PIN issuing, and provides advanced user and message authentication solutions supported by secure identity management and token issuing. Over half of the world's banks, together with the majority of the busiest exchanges, currently use Thales technology and services.
About Thales
Thales is a leading international electronics and systems group, addressing defence, aerospace and security markets worldwide. Thales's leading-edge technology is supported by 22,000 R&D engineers who offer a capability unmatched in Europe to develop and deploy field-proven mission-critical information systems. To this end, the group's civil and military businesses develop in parallel and share a common base of technologies to serve a single objective: the security of people, property and nations. The group builds its growth on its unique multi-domestic strategy based on trusted partnerships with national customers and market players, while leveraging its global expertise to support local technology and industrial development. Thales employs 68,000 people in 50 countries with forecast 2007 revenues in excess of €12 billion.
Press Contacts
Thales, Security Solutions & Services
Tim Arnold / Claire Topping
Tel. +44 1 844 201 800
tim.arnold@thales-esecurity.com
claire.topping@thales-esecurity.com
Hotwire, press agency
Nicola Truman
Tel. +44 (0) 207 608 4673
nicola.truman@hotwirepr.com
