MCU enables PCI-PTS 4.1 certification

Article By : Maxim Integrated

For PCI-PTS 4.1 certification, products must pass increased levels of differential power analysis and simple power analysis (DPA/SPA) attack testing.

Taiwan-based XAC Automation's latest security key pad and smart card readers—E200NP and E200CP—which incorporate Maxim Integrated Products' MAX32550 DeepCover secure microcontroller, have successfully passed the stringent PCI-PTS 4.1 certification requirements.

For PCI-PTS 4.1 certification, products must pass increased levels of differential power analysis and simple power analysis (DPA/SPA) attack testing. Maxim is the only supplier that provides a cryptographic library with sophisticated algorithm protection means, which allowed XAC's products to pass the challenging DPA/SPA certification tests. Maxim also provides its customers with a security evaluation report from an independent laboratory that significantly helps reduce PCI-PTS certification time and costs.

The MAX32550 DeepCover secure ARM Cortex-M3 microcontroller integrates all the essential functions for secure mobile payment and pin pads, including cryptographic engine, true random number generator, battery-backed RTC, environmental and tamper detection circuitry, magnetic stripe reader, smart card controller with embedded transceiver to directly support 1.8V, 3.3V, and 5V cards, and integrated secure keypad controller.

__Figure 1:__ *MAX32550 functional diagram (Source: Maxim Integrated)*

"Maxim's DeepCover embedded security products provide a high level of integration and security that make it easy for our customers to shorten time to PCI-PTS certification and get to market quicker," said Gregory Guez, Director, Embedded Security, Maxim Integrated. "Customers like XAC can save time and resources using the MAX32550-LBS+ because its cryptographic library already includes the needed countermeasures."