Verified by Visa

Verified by Visa is the brand name by which Issuers market an Internet authentication capability to cardholders, providing the following benefits:

• Issuers have the opportunity to offer consumers an important new service capability that enhances consumer trust and confidence when shopping online with Visa cards.
• Consumers use Verified by Visa for authentication during each online transaction, giving consumers more control in preventing unauthorized use of their Visa cards.
• Member banks are able to positively identify cardholders when shopping at participating merchants—helping to stop unauthorized use before it happens.

Vendor highlights

• Provides enhanced security solutions to Member Banks and Merchant partners.
• Increases client retention.
• Increases sales activity for end customers by increasing consumer confidence with shopping online.

Background information for vendors

Based on the 3-Domain Secure Service protocol, the Verified by Visa infrastructure consists of the following components:

Issuer Domain
Issuer Access Control Server (ACS)
A server that validates cardholder participation in the service, performs the cardholder verification, performs the card authentication for smart Visa cards, and provides digitally signed responses to merchants. The ACS is operated by the Issuer, its processor, or Visa on behalf of the Issuer.

Issuer Activation Server
A server that manages cardholder activation by requesting identity information from the cardholder that is verified by the Issuer. The Activation Server is operated by the Issuer or its processor.

Acquirer Domain
Merchant Plug-in Software (MPI)
A software module, used to provide an interface between the Verified by Visa service and merchants’ payment processing software. The software also verifies Issuers’ digital signatures in the authentication responses returned to the merchant.

Interoperability/Visa Domain
Directory Server (DS)
A server operated by Visa to route authentication requests from merchants to Issuer Access Control Servers.

Authentication History Server (AHS)
A server operated by Visa that stores authentication transactions. The AHS is used to verify authenticated transactions and to provide additional information during the dispute process.

Learn more

• Objectives
• How It Works
• Vendor List