3D Secure (3DS) - What is 3D Secure?
3D Secure is a credit card authentication protocol that was implemented to add additional security to online transactions. It includes an extra verification step, for instance, confirming the transaction from your bank’s mobile app.
Start accepting card payments from your customers with the Debitoor x SumUp connection. You can include a secure payment link directly on your invoices so your customers can pay quickly and effortlessly online.
3DS (version 2) was introduced in 2016, with the goal of reducing the possibility of fraud for online transactions and aligning with EU regulations. In January 2021, 3DS became mandatory for online transactions across Europe and will be mandatory in the UK from September 2021.
Why was 3D Secure implemented
Prior to 3DS, customers purchasing a product online would enter their credit card details on the business’s website. Put simply, the details would then be sent to the cardholder’s bank to confirm the transaction. The bank would check several things like the customer has enough funds, and the transaction doesn’t seem unusual. Once the bank confirms the transaction, the customer would receive a notification on their screen that the payment was successful.
In this case, the customer themselves never verified the transaction, like entering a pin for in-person payments. Therefore, if someone’s credit card was stolen, the thief could quickly and easily make online transactions without the owner of the card knowing.
How does 3D Secure work?
3D Secure means that the owner of the card has to complete an additional step to verify the transaction. The process may differ depending on the cardholder’s bank, but it may include:
- Opening your bank’s mobile app to confirm the transaction (with your card’s pin, your password, your fingerprint, a security question, or facial recognition)
- Sending a one-time verification code to your phone or email
In some cases, a “passive” authentication can be done in the background. This means that the customer does not need to manually verify the transaction because the bank can automatically detect that this transaction was made by the cardholder.
What are the benefits of 3D Secure
As technology advances, so does the potential for fraud. 3DS makes online payments more secure for both the cardholder and the business they are purchasing from.
For the cardholder, this adds an extra level of security for if your credit card information was stolen. Online payments would need to be confirmed by the cardholder in order to be processed successfully.
For the business, 3DS reduces the possibility of chargebacks and fraudulent transactions. Since the cardholder must confirm the transaction manually, chargebacks would not be possible unless the product or service was not delivered.
How can my business accept 3D Secure payments?
If you already use a payment provider to accept online payments, you should check with your payment provider to ensure that they have implemented the 3D Secure protocol.
If you would like to start using a payment provider for online payments, SumUp is a great choice. With SumUp, you can create an online store, accept in-person and online payments, and issue invoices.
If you use Debitoor invoicing & accounting software, you can connect SumUp to your account in a few clicks. Once connected, your invoices will automatically include a payment link so your customers can pay quickly and securely online. These payments are secure with 3DS.
