Intel Introduces Technology to Help Bridge Retail Security Gap, Drive Adoption of the Internet of Things

Intel® Data Protection Technology for Transactions Aims to Bolster Consumer Confidence

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Intel Corporation today introduced Intel® Data Protection Technology for Transactions, the industry’s first solution to provide end-to-end encryption of consumer and financial data that is built into the point of sale (POS) platforms. Developed in collaboration with NCR*, a leader in consumer transaction technologies, the Intel Data Protection Technology for Transactions combines software optimized for retailers with Intel hardware, including Intel® Core™ and select Intel® Atom™ processors, to deliver a higher level of security from the start of a transaction until transaction data is stored on a bank server.

“NCR and Intel recognized the need to add a new level of security into transactional systems. With Intel Data Protection Technology for Transactions, in conjunction with NCR DataGuard, all important data from consumer information to payments to confidential business information are shielded from possible misuse.”

Intel Data Protection Technology for Transactions adds an extra layer of software to protect the payment process, complementing current retail investments in EMV (Europay*, MasterCard* and Visa*) credit card authorization, tokenization and other data protection technologies. The software resides and runs on the Intel chipset for enhanced security and helps close the gaps between data transmitted between POS devices and the data center.

The mounting number of data breaches has cast doubt on retailers’ ability to secure consumer data and sustain consumer confidence in sharing data, creating a barrier to the adoption of Internet of Things technologies.

It’s estimated that enterprise businesses will spend $114 billion dealing with malware-related cyberattacks in 20131 and, per multiple industry reports, tens of millions of credit cards have been compromised this year.

Intel Data Protection Technology for Transactions was developed to address these issues and speed the deployment of the Internet of Things in retail environments.

News Facts

• Intel Data Protection Technology for Transactions creates a secure pathway between the transaction endpoint, point of sale (POS) system and server networks to securely carry consumer information.
• Intel Data Protection Technology for Transactions helps mitigate risks by establishing a secure pipeline through which transactions can request payment authorization and provides a common security management capability for retailers to utilize regardless of the original POS or peripheral vendor.
• The solution supports all modern forms of credit and debit payment including EMV (Europay, Mastercard and Visa), magnetic stripe and near field communication (NFC) transaction readers, including Google Wallet*, Softcard* and Apple Pay*.
• The technology works with all retail POS form factors that have select Intel processors in their retail POS networks, including tablets.
• The solution will be initially available on Intel Core second- and third-generation processors as well as succeeding Intel Core processor generations. In addition, tablets with the Intel Atom processor code-named “Bay Trail-T” and future Intel Atom processors will support this new Intel technology.
• Intel Data Protection Technology for Transactions may be applied to non-retail industries and applications, such as to secure the way airports handle passport and driver’s license identity information, or helping pharmacies protect customer information related to prescription refills.
• This new Intel technology builds flexibility into data protection, helping merchants shift resources used to deal with security issues to improving the customer satisfaction and purchasing experience.
• The client software is available now. The full solution based on Intel Data Protection Technology for Transactions will be available to retailers in the first half of next year.

Supporting Quotes

“This solution introduces a significant improvement in today’s retail transaction data protection without costly hardware upgrades, and provides retailers a path for adopting new Internet of Things technologies,” said Michelle Tinsley, director of Mobility Retail and Payments, Intel. “It also sets the stage to expand to other industries such as financial services, healthcare or even government agencies.”

“Consumers and retailers need solutions that help narrow the risk of information making its way into the wrong hands,” said Chris Lybeer, vice president of Strategic Development at NCR. “NCR and Intel recognized the need to add a new level of security into transactional systems. With Intel Data Protection Technology for Transactions, in conjunction with NCR DataGuard, all important data from consumer information to payments to confidential business information are shielded from possible misuse.”

“It’s never been more important, or more difficult, for retailers to manage and protect data across the payment ecosystem,” said Karen Webster, CEO, Market Platform Dynamics. “Intel’s Data Protection Technology for Transactions security architecture does the obvious thing – it separates transaction processing from the POS – making that data less accessible and therefore more likely to be out of the reach of hackers. That can only help give both retailers and consumers more confidence that their POS experience is secure.”