Payment Security

Payment Security is Embedded in
Everything we do

Our multilayered approach to security drives everyday innovation.

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Payment security grounded in four pillars

Visa takes a comprehensive approach to security that relies on multiple layers of technology, analytics, and security practices to help protect the payment system and reduce fraud.

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Devalue sensitive data

Devalue sensitive payment transaction data so that stored information can’t be used to commit fraud, reducing the incentive for criminals to hack into merchant systems.

Network operations center (NOC) technicians monitoring critical network elements and engaging in proactive network systems monitoring.

Invest in data intelligence

Invest in predictive analytics, intelligence + insights to identify potentially fraudulent activity and stop it before it happens.

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Protect data systems from cyber threats

Require all participants in the payments ecosystem to protect sensitive payment data from compromise.

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Empower consumers

Because consumers who actively monitor their accounts are less likely to be impacted by fraud, we provide tools like Consumer Transaction Controls to cardholders of participating financial institutions so they can be a part of the solution.

Visa’s security advancements

Continue to innovate, driving stronger, more dynamic technologies that better prevent fraud – helping move the payments industry beyond static, knowledge-based security instruments that can be stolen or forged.

See the fraud landscape and our security road map

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Tokenization: Makes stolen data useless for fraud

Tokenization not only reduces the chance of fraud, but also helps encourage payment innovation. By building on a foundation of security, we can bring more trust to payments as capabilities expand to mobile devices and the Internet of Things.

Biometrics: Can better identify accountholders

Biometrics such as fingerprint, facial recognition, voice, and more can provide more convenient and secure alternatives to signatures or PINs and help prevent fraud while making it easier to pay securely.

See how biometrics can work with EMV chip cards

Using a Visa EMV chip card to make purchase.

EMV chip: Prevents counterfeit fraud

Chip technology brings more intelligent security to payment cards by generating a unique one-time code that cannot be reused, which reduces counterfeit card fraud, the leading type of payment card fraud in stores.

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Predictive analytics: Identifies fraud before it happens

Visa can identify potential fraud in real time with technology that can analyze up to 500 unique risk attributes of any transaction and determine the likelihood the transaction is fraudulent.

See how Visa technology helps identify and stop fraud before it happens

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Account controls: Offers consumers visibility + control

Visa Consumer Transaction Controls let cardholders of participating financial institutions set spending controls, receive transaction alerts via text, app or email, or even temporarily suspend their cards with simple on/off feature. With real-time visibility and control over their accounts, consumers can take immediate action to protect themselves from security threats and potential fraud.

Learn more about Visa Consumer Transaction Controls