Securing card data from point A to point B

Point-to-point encryption (P2PE) is a standard established by the PCI Security Standards Council. Payment solutions which offer similar encryption but do not meet the P2Pe standard are referred to as end-to-end encryption (E2Ee) solutions. The objective of P2Pe and E2Ee is to provide a payment security solution that instantaneously converts confidential payment card (credit and debit card) data and information into indecipherable code at the time the card is swiped to prevent hacking and fraud. It is designed to maximize the security of payment card transactions in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.

The Standard[edit]

The P2Pe Standard defines the requirements that a "solution" must meet in order to be accepted as a PCI validated P2Pe solution. A "solution" is a complete set of hardware, software, gateway, decryption, device handling, etc. Only "solutions" can be validated; individual pieces of hardware such as card readers cannot be validated. It is also a common mistake to refer to P2Pe validated solutions as "certified"; there is no such certification.

The determination of whether or not a solution meets the P2Pe standard is the responsibility of a P2Pe Qualified Security Assessor (P2Pe-QSA). P2Pe-QSA companies are independent third party companies who employ assessors that have met the PCI Security Standards Council's requirements for education and experience, and have passed the requisite exam. The PCI Security Standards Council does not validate solutions.