Security Oracle News Archive

Chip and PIN Security – Guidance

Thu, October 19, 2006

Source: BSIA

The BSIA has published guidelines to security issues surrounding the use of Chip and PIN technology.

The British Security Industry Association (BSIA) has published guidelines to security issues surrounding the use of Chip and PIN technology. It has been welcomed by the British Retail Consortium.

"CCTV has long been an essential tool for retailers in the fight against business crime," says BSIA CCTV Section Chairman, Pauline Norstrom. "However, the introduction of Chip and PIN has created issues with regard to the use of CCTV such as the positioning of CCTV cameras where PIN details can be recorded.

“The BSIA's new guidelines respond to these issues by highlighting key areas in the installation and use of CCTV that retailers and the general public should be made aware of in order to protect the integrity of the Chip and PIN process."

Paul Smith, Policy Director for Card Payments at the British Retail Consortium, comments:
"The BRC supports the protection that Chip and PIN provides both retailers and customers for card payment and encourages retailers to protect cardholder's PIN information by employing measures included in the BSIA guidelines."

The critical areas covered include: the positioning of Chip and PIN terminals - both static and mobile; CCTV at the point of sale - particularly the location of fixed cameras so PIN information cannot be clearly identified; how cameras used for transaction monitoring should be handled; and the need to ensure that the pre-set positions of moveable cameras are not going to capture a customer's PIN information. 

BSIA