Category: Contact Kernel | Contactless Kernel

In today's digital world, the use of card-based transactions has become increasingly prevalent. However, with the rise of these transactions comes the risk of fraud and data breaches. To combat this, the Europay, Mastercard and Visa (EMV) consortium developed a set of global standards for credit and debit card payments known as EMV. One of the core components of the EMV standard is the EMV kernel.

What is the EMV Kernel?

An EMV kernel is the software component of an EMV transaction that runs on a chip card, point-of-sale terminal or other payment device. It is responsible for processing and authenticating the transaction data between the chip card and the payment terminal.

The EMV kernel is a key part of the EMV standard and is critical to the security of card transactions. It is designed to protect against a range of fraud types, including counterfeit cards, lost or stolen cards and skimming attacks.

Types of EMV Kernels

There are various types of EMV kernels that can be used in different types of card transactions. These include

• Contact EMV Kernel

  Contact EMV Kernel is used for chip cards that are inserted into a point-of-sale terminal or ATM. The chip on the card is physically connected to the terminal and the transaction data is exchanged through the chip.

• Contactless EMV Kernel

  Contactless EMV Kernel is used for contactless payments, where the card is simply tapped or waved in front of a payment terminal to initiate the transaction. The transaction data is exchanged wirelessly through radio frequency (RF) communication between the card and the terminal.

• Mobile EMV Kernel

  This type of EMV kernel is used for mobile payments made through a smartphone or tablet. The transaction data is stored on the mobile device and is exchanged wirelessly through an NFC (near field communication) connection with the payment terminal.

How EMV Kernel Enhances Card-Based Transaction Security

The use of EMV Kernel in card transactions has significantly enhanced security and reduced the risk of fraud. Here are some ways EMV kernel helps to boost security

• Chip-based authentication

  EMV kernels are designed to authenticate transactions using a chip on the card. This chip contains a unique identifier that is used to verify the authenticity of the card.

• Dynamic authentication

  EMV kernels generate a unique code for each transaction, making it difficult for fraudsters to reuse data from a previous transaction.

• Encryption

  EMV kernels use strong encryption algorithms to protect the transaction data from being intercepted and read by unauthorized parties.

• Offline processing

  EMV kernels are capable of processing transactions offline, without the need for an internet connection. This means that transactions can still be processed even if there is no network connection available.