Smart cards could be best described as credit cards with a mini processor in the form of an embedded chip. The trends of online banking and online shopping are said to become safe with the secured environment that smart cards bring.

Smart cards are the key component of many security strategies and Hypercom has led the charge for smart cards and our products adhere to ISO 7816 and EMV specifications. The Hypercom EMV solution has successfully passed all 644 of EMVCo's Level 2 tests, being the first vendor in the world to achieve this distinction.

Smart cards provide:

• Tamper proof storage for personal information
• Key components such as authentication, digital signatures

Smart Cards are the future for transaction security. While the magnetic swipe cards can hold only 79 bits of data, smart cards can hold 32,000 bits.