Card security code: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 05:58, 9 August 2006

Revision as of 06:02, 9 August 2006

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[[Image:CVC2SampleVisa.png|thumb|180px|right|The Card Security Code is located on the back of all [[Mastercard]], [[VISA (credit card)|Visa]] and [[Discover Card|Discover]] credit or debit cards.]]

[[Image:CIDSampleAmex.png|thumb|180px|right|On [[American Express]] cards, the Card Security Code is located on the front.]]

The '''Card Security Code''' ('''CSC'''), sometimes called Card Verification Value or '''Code''' ('''CVV''' or '''CVC'''), is a security feature for [[credit card]] transactions, giving protection against [[credit card fraud]]. There are actually two security codes. The first, called CVC1 or CVV1, is encoded on the magnetic stripe of the card and used for in-person transactions. The second one, and the most cited, is CVV2 or CVC2. It is often used to secure "card not present" transactions occurring over the Internet, by mail, or over the phone.

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The CVV2 is a 3 or 4 digit value printed on the card, but not available on the magnetic stripe.

* [[MasterCard]], [[VISA (credit card)|Visa]] and [[Discover Card|Discover]]s credit and debit cards have a 3 digit code, called the "CVC2" (card validation code), "CVV2" (card verification value) and "Cardmember ID" respectively. It is not embossed like the card number, and is always the final group of numbers printed on the back signature panel of the card. New MasterCard and Visa cards feature the "CVC2" in a separate panel to the right of the signature strip [http://usa.visa.com/about_visa/newsroom/press_releases/nr305.html]. This has been done in order to prevent overwriting of the numbers by signing the card.

* [[American Express]] cards have a 4 digit code printed on the front side of the card above the number, referred to as the "CID", or Card Identification Number. It is printed flat, not embossed like the card number.

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== Security benefits ==

Since the CVV2 is not contained on the magnetic stripe of the card, it is not typically included in the transaction when the card is used face to face at a merchant. However, some merchants have begun requiring the code for use of [[American Express]] cards, such as [[Sears]] and [[Staples]]. This provides a level of protection to the cardholder, in that a corrupt merchant cannot simply capture the magnetic stripe details of a card and use them later for "card not present" purchases over the phone, mail order or Internet. To do this, a merchant would also have to note the CVV2 visually and record it, which is more likely to arouse the cardholder's suspicion.

Online merchants who require the CVV2 in their transactions are forbidden from storing these details once the transaction is complete. This way, if a database of transactions is [[compromise#Security|compromised]], the CVV2 is not included, and the stolen credit card numbers are less useful.