Shift4 / Main Index

Shift4’s payment gateway is fully integrated with Tokenization at no extra cost to DOLLARS ON THE NET users. Tokenization is a CIRT solution developed by Shift4 to address the vulnerability issues associated with the storage of sensitive CHD. Historically, CHD has been stored and utilized to enable merchants to perform various business related functions including credits, tips, tabs and incremental authorizations. Tokenization provides merchants with the same functionality without the security risk that is present if the CHD is retained. Tokenization provides full support for:

Book and Ship
Credits
Incremental Authorization
Multiple charges on a single invoice
Recurring Billing
Tips and Tabs

With Tokenization, merchants no longer need CHD past the initial electronic payment authorization request, so there is no reason to store this potentially dangerous information. Instead, when a transaction is authorized, Shift4 replaces CHD on the PMS/POS with a 16-character, globally unique, randomized, alphanumeric representation of the data called a “Token.”

A Token is a unique ID created to reference the actual data associated with a specific transaction, while actual CHD is securely stored in Shift4’s PCI compliant data centers. A Shift4 Token spans the lifetime of a transaction and can be retained for up to 24 months, so it provides all the same business functionalities merchants expect. Because no encryption key management remains with the merchant, the only place a Shift4 Token can be decrypted is at the Shift4 DOLLARS ON THE NET gateway. To more about Shift4’s Tokenization technology, please visit our website.

4Go is Shift4’s solution to the vulnerability of CHD as it is transmitted over networks or stored in the local file logs of traditional merchants. The first solution of its kind, 4Go uses CIRT technology to secure CHD at the point-of-sale by replacing it with false data before it ever enters the PMS/POS. This data is transmitted to Shift4’s Universal Transaction Gateway™ (UTG), where a false data packet is generated and returned to the PMS/POS application. The false information subsequently enters the PMS/POS and is used to perform the transaction.

Although the use of false data is effective in short term use or lower volume transaction situations, 4Go SecureSuite™, which is 4Go combined with Tokenization, may be more appropriate if transaction volume exceeds certain levels. Since the false data packet is intended for short-term use, combining 4Go’s functionality with Tokenization provides a long term solution that allows the merchant to perform all the same transaction functions, as well as keep up to a 24-month archive for auditing, chargeback defense and other information requests.

4Go eliminates security concerns about transport and immediate data storage because the real CHD never enters the merchant system and is never stored, processed or transmitted. Combining 4Go with Tokenization sanitizes the system and entirely removes sensitive CHD from the equation. To learn more about 4Go and Tokenization, please visit our website.

Designed specifically to protect CHD as it relates to eCommerce transactions, i4Go provides the same protection for online merchants as 4Go does for traditional, card-present environments. With the use of CIRT, i4Go secures sensitive CHD before it ever enters the merchant site or hosting provider’s system.

At the time of sale, instead of entering credit card information on the merchant’s website, i4Go redirects the customer to a secure Shift4 payment page where billing information is safely collected on behalf of the merchant. Once submitted, the data is sent to the DOLLARS ON THE NET gateway, which then employs Tokenization technology to generate a random, alphanumeric Token to reference the data and complete the transaction. Since the Token merely references the real data associated with the specific transaction, it can be stored and used for later authorization, settlement and for reoccurring charges.

With the use of i4Go, CHD never enters the merchant’s website, data center and/or hosting provider environment. If the merchant never comes into contact with the sensitive information, the burden of protecting CHD is removed. Because no CHD is being stored, processed or transmitted by the merchant site or hosting provider environment, the scope of PCI is greatly reduced. To learn more about i4Go, please visit our website.

Shift4’s fully integrated gift card solution, IT’S YOUR CARD, is the ideal choice for any gift-giving occasion. Merchants can take full control of the look, feel, fees, rules, denominations and expiration dates of their cards. IT’S YOUR CARD provides complete control to activate/deactivate, track, report and process balance inquiries from the same place credit cards are processed. Our gift card solution is 100% neutral, allowing merchants to switch processors or PMS/POS systems and continue to use the same cards. The system’s flexible design allows merchants to customize their gift cards to their liking, while allowing them to meet the escheatment and expiration rules for each state. IT’S YOUR CARD is fully integrated with DOLLARS ON THE NET so merchants can enjoy the same benefits and merchant-centric functionality our payment gateway provides.

Authored by: Steven M. Sommers, Senior Vice President, Applications Development, Shift4 Corporation

Please contact Hotel.Online with your comments and suggestions.