The point-to-point encryption standard (P2PE) is the latest of the PCI standards. It was launched in 2012 in order to facilitate the path to a successful PCI-DSS (PCI Data Security Standard) certification for merchants that have an extensive network of branches.
The standard ensures that card data is encrypted from its input point at the point of sale or the terminal at the point of sale (“encryption”) all the way through to the end point (“decryption”) – i.e. where card data is processed. This encryption ensures that the transmission paths as well as all intermediate components such as networks, routers, cash registers or the merchant’s back-office systems cannot be accessed by unauthorised third parties. The other result is that the PCI certification procedure only has to be applied to a much lesser extent, which is a great advantage for the merchant, both in terms of time and cost.