As card readers become more ubiquitous in stores, retailers are looking for new ways to protect themselves from fraud. Banks and financial institutions are also introducing new technology to combat fraudulent purchases made using credit and debit cards.
This has led to the increasing use of financial cards with embedded chip technology.
In the past, merchants would have had to shell out big bucks to upgrade from magnetic stripe cards to newer EMV cards, but now they have access to card issuance systems that allow them to print EMV cards with minimal cost and effort on their end.
There are financial card printers specifically designed for today’s cloud-based solutions that provide a fast, secure, and reliable method of printing EMV cards. With this technology, it is no longer necessary for any financial institution to invest large sums of money to ensure that their payment processing system is well secured.
A new generation of EMV financial card printers offers the highest level of security to ensure that sensitive customer data is protected from unauthorized access.
With the Entrust Sigma DS4, you have the most advanced instant financial card issuance printer available today. The Sigma DS4 card printer instantly provides banks, credit unions, and retailers a way to create secure financial cards without waiting on a central issuance center. The customer experience will improve because card-users quickly receive their cards and can start using them right away. The the intuitive user interface also means branch personnel will spend less time managing the printer and more time serving customers.
The following are some of the top security features offered in the latest generation of financial EMV card printers:
Software-activated Lock
A software-activated lock is vital to preventing use of your card printer by an unauthorized employee or even an outside third party.
The feature enables you to secure the card stock, supplies, and reject cards. It creates an extra layer of protection to stop unapproved users from printing counterfeit cards.
Dual-access control means only authorized users can operate your printer. The software-activated lock is especially useful if you must leave the office during business hours.
It also helps protect against bad actors from potentially stealing confidential information. The controlled access meets Visa® and Mastercard® security requirements.
Removable Card Stock
Card stock requires secure storage and tracking. With removable card cassettes, you can easily secure your card stock during periods when your printer is not being used. This prevents someone else from accessing your card stock at unexpected times and compromising your brand integrity.
The removable card stock is perfect for overnight storage in a back room or other secure area and protecting it during non-business hours. However, be aware that liability issues may be involved in handling the card stock.
Secure Boot
Malware is one of the major threats facing the financial industry today. If hackers get into your printer, it can cause serious damage to your organization and your customers. The secure boot protects the system from malware or a virus on boot-up.
The secure boot feature checks the integrity of the firmware installed on the printer before allowing it to run properly. The operating system will not start up until verified as safe.
If the printer detects malware, it immediately stops the printer’s operation and alerts you to the issue. This eliminates the possibility of installing malicious programs that could cause damage to your network and compromise sensitive data.
A secure boot minimizes the risk of losing sensitive data such as credit card numbers and customer account details. The feature is crucial in ensuring that your business remains protected from hackers.
Trusted Platform Module (Tpm)
TPM is a hardware component that securely stores cryptographic keys and other credentials. TPM ensures that all critical data stored on the printer is encrypted and cannot be accessed by anyone except the device owner.
TPMs are automatically paired with printers during installation. Upon installation, the TPM belongs to the printer. TPMs cannot be moved from one printer to another without losing ownership. If a printer is moved and its ownership is transferred, its data will be cryptographically erased.
It is impossible to start the printer without the TPM. In the event that the TPM is missing from the printer, an error message will appear on the front control panel. With a TPM, you can protect your company’s sensitive data and prevent unauthorized access to your computer network.
You can store encryption keys, digital certificates, and other important credentials on the TPM chip. Even if a hacker gains access to your network, they would have no way to decrypt sensitive information.
SSL And TLS 1.2 Encryption
When data is sent over the Internet or locally, it must go through a secure encryption process. The encryption guarantees secure printing over an IP network by restricting unauthorized users from reading data sent to the machine.
SSL/TLS is the most commonly used method of encrypting traffic between server and client. Data sent through SSL/TLS provides security against eavesdropping by third parties. It is also designed to minimize the impact of man-in-the-middle attacks. The SSL/TLS protocol encrypts data and provides authentication and privacy. It allows for confidentiality and integrity checking.
With SSL/TLS, only the trusted server is able to receive and send data. You will be able to ensure that your confidential data does not fall into the hands of hackers or cybercriminals.
Data Security
Just like computers, printers have both volatile and non-volatile memory.
Volatile memory can get lost when you turn the printer off. However, non-volatile memory acts like a circular buffer: data gets written into sequential parts of the memory until it reaches the end, and then the cycle starts again.
If you printed any confidential data, you need to print enough non-confidential documents to use up the whole circular buffer. On most business printers, the non-volatile memory is measured in gigabytes; this can take a long time if you want to remove confidential data like credit card and account numbers from the printer.
The data security feature in EMV card printers means that no confidential customer data is stored on the printer after each document has been printed. It also removes the risk of data confiscation upon theft or loss of the printer itself.
Concealed Output Hopper
A concealed output hopper protects the data on finished cards from being tampered with or seen. It hides the printed content so that nobody can see what is printed on the card.
Once the cards are printed, it exits the card discharge slot and rests in the concealed output stacker tray. This keeps the printed cards away from the curious eyes and the hands of fraudulent users. It improves card security and ensures that your card stock does not fall into the wrong hands. The concealed output hopper also helps track how many cards were printed.
Password-protected Cabinet
Most modern printers come with password-protection features. This prevents unauthorized personnel from accessing card stock or wasting resources like ink and ribbons.
The password-protected cabinet will safeguard your card stock from people who would steal it. This is especially helpful when the printer is left unattended.
Non-resettable Card Counter For Auditing
A non-resettable card counter reduces the risk of fraud by enabling auditors to verify the number of cards produced by the system. Card counters that are resettable can be easy to tamper with and hide the fact that additional cards were printed.
The built-in auditing feature helps verify the authenticity of printed cards and provides accountability. You are able to check the number of printed cards and the dates of production and make sure it matches your records.
Secure Cable Lock
Cable locks help to secure the printer against theft and keep it in the designated area. They provide extra security for the printer because they are designed to resist cutting attempts.
Unlike other security features, cable locks are installed by the user without special tools. The cable lock is optional, but highly recommended. You can purchase them separately and add them to existing models.
The package contains a cable lock and a metal security plate. The security plate is installed on the printer and is designed to accommodate the T-bar of the cable lock.
Bolt-down Provision
Another way to protect your printer from tampering or theft is the bolt-down ready feature. The printer includes bolt-down openings that you can use to secure it to a mounting surface. This protects the printer from being removed or stolen. It also ensures your printer does not wobble when used on uneven surfaces.
Security is an essential element of business operations. As technology advances, the need for high-quality, reliable security solutions becomes even more important. You need to know where to find a dependable printer with all the necessary security features to keep your data safe.
At Elliott Data Systems, we carry top-of-line financial card issuance systems that guarantee safety, reliability, durability, and long-term performance. Whether you want to print your cards instantly or produce thousands of them with ease, our EMV card printers offer the most cost-effective solution with all the high-security features required today.
Contact us online to learn more about our EMV card printing options.
Sigma Ds4: The Next Generation Of Instant Card Issuance
Entrust Sigma instant issuance systems are designed to be your one-stop solution for all your EMV card-printing needs. From unboxing to issuing cards to managing your printer, Sigma is the most user-friendly card issuance solution in the world.
Being equipped with industry-leading issuance security architecture offers the highest level of protection available in any financial card printer. It will keep your cards and your customers’ data safe and secure at each step of the issuance process.
As your business grows, you can expand your card issuance program thanks to the scalability and forward-thinking technology of the printer.
Sigma DS4 Features:
- Issuance capabilities include:
- Full-color or monochrome direct-to-card printing.
- Magnetic stripe encoding.
- Contact or contactless smart card encoding.
- The intuitive printer dashboard lets you view printer status, order supplies, check cleaning status, update firmware, and contact support – all from your smartphone or tablet.
- Through seamless self-service, you can access how-to videos and other helpful resources by scanning the QR code displayed on the LCD screen.
- The variable LED light ring allows you to customize your ambient environment with brand colors or other designs.
- Pre-loaded ribbon cassettes make switching ribbons easy.
- Optional multi-hopper enables multiple card designs from a single printer.
- Removable card cassettes make securing card stock overnight a breeze.
- On-premises or cloud-hosted deployment.
- Embossed text with metallic tipping foil for an elegant look.
- Full suite of services available to help ensure your instant issuance program runs smoothly at every one of your branches.
As consumers become accustomed to immediate gratification, instant issuance solutions provide financial institutions with the ability to offer more convenient banking options. With Sigma DS4, real-time production with smart card personalization has never been easier.
If you are looking for a simple way to issue EMV cards quickly, easily, and reliably, consider entrusting your instant card production to the Sigma DS4.
Highly customized, ready-to-use credit, debit, and ATM cards make it easier for your customers to open a new account, reissue lost or expired cards, and get them started right away using your product.
With its unique self-service model, Sigma DS4 ensures optimal customer experience while lowering overall costs.
Contact Elliott Data Systems today to begin exploring the possibilities of instant card production for your financial institution or other business needing smart cards.
Digital & Physical Security Solutions Provider
Elliott Data Systems, Inc. has been known over the past 50 years as a dependable, one-stop shop for identification systems and professional services. We have evolved to offer a wide range of additional innovative products and solutions that provide our clients with complete identity management solutions.
Our financial issuance division offers high-performance, robust, and secure printers for the financial card market. We pride ourselves on providing superior quality equipment backed up by expert technical service and support.
From banks to retail merchants, our portfolio includes printers designed specifically for EMV/chip cards, PIN, mag stripe cards , and other traditional payment methods.
Our instant issuance systems produce great-looking ID cards and credit, debit, and ATM cards. By using our instant issuance printers, your customers can get immediate purchasing power, which increases smart card usage and improves sales and revenue opportunities.
Elliott’s central issuance printer allows you to issue multiple cards simultaneously, reducing labor hours and increasing productivity. This unique combination of low-cost-per-card issuance systems can print up to 2,000 personalized cards per hour, making it the industry’s most advanced high-volume central printing solution.
We deliver and install all of our machines directly into branch offices, saving you on installation costs and allowing you to focus on growing your business. We also provide training and ongoing support.
For more information about how we can help you grow your business, contact us by calling 1-888-345-8511 or by filling out our online form.
