News
Encryption and Tokenization
August 24, 2011
Encryption versus
Tokenization
Merriam
Webster's dictionary defines "entropy" as, "the degree of disorder or
uncertainty in a system". Computer
hackers, identity thieves and more thrive off such disorder. In an attempt to
combat the exploitation of uncertainty in the transmission and storage of data
such as credit card information or medical history, IT professionals are
constantly striving to create more secure methods. Two clear winners are
emerging: E2EE & Tokenization.
End to end encryption (E2EE) encrypts data at the source
(such as a credit card terminal) with knowledge of the intended recipient,
allowing the encrypted data to travel safely through vulnerable channels (eg,
the internet) to its recipient where it can be decrypted (assuming the
recipient has a key to make sense of the encrypted data). For example, your
primary care physician is in New York City (NYC) and you are required to see a
specialist in
With tokenization, the sensitive data is stored locally or
by a third party service provider. Only those with a token can access the data
and tokens are user specific (our specialist in
Rather than choosing one over the other, IT departments
should be seeking a layered approach. There are a few options already available
for payment processing, such as MagTek's MagneSafe program which provides E2EE
at the card reader, along with tokenization formatting capabilities. Premier
Payment Services (PPS') Three Step Redirect API allows e-commerce merchants to
process transactions without ever transmitting or storing sensitive cardholder
data. These two programs take a shot at entropy, putting a bit more order into
otherwise disappointing security networks.
Want more info on Encryption and Tokenization?
Contact Premier Payment Services today at 800.573.6268
and ask to speak to a Merchant
Account Specialist
or send an e-mail to sales@ppsbankcard.com
[ Download ]
« Return to News
 |  |
We will beat your current merchant provider or we will send you $500.
