3D Secure — additional protection technology for online payments

Contents of the article

1. What is 3D Secure
2. How the 3D-Secure technology works: the three-domain principle
3. How does it work in practice?
4. What advantages does 3D Secure offer the user?
5. What is 3D Secure 2.0?
6. Conclusion

 

What is 3D Secure

3-D Secure (3DS) is a modern security protocol that provides an additional level of protection when making online payments. Its main purpose is to ensure, before funds are debited, that the transaction is initiated by the actual cardholder and not by a third party, by performing additional identification of the payment cardholder. This technology significantly enhances security and, accordingly, reduces the risks of transactions, helping to prevent fraud.

3D Secure is not just a check. It is a well-designed payment protocol that provides an additional level of authentication for each transaction — usually by entering a one-time password sent by the issuing bank.
Leading payment systems introduced the technology back in 2013: Visa under the name Verified by Visa, and Mastercard as SecureCode. Subsequently, the protocol became the standard for protecting online payments in most payment systems.

If a payment is made without using 3DSecure, liability for fraudulent transactions, such as those related to card theft, lies with the merchant. Conversely, when using 3DS, liability for the security of the transaction shifts to the issuing bank. Accordingly, the user is better protected when transaction confirmation is carried out using 3DSecure.

 

How the 3D-Secure technology works: the three-domain principle

The protocol is based on the principle of three domains that interact during each 3DS payment:

• Issuer domain — your bank or payment organization that issued the card.
• Acquirer domain — the institution that serves the merchant and accepts the payment.
• Interoperability domain — the payment system (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) that ensures data exchange between participants.

During online transactions, these three parties to the payment protocol synchronize through a series of requests and responses to ensure that the transaction is being conducted by the actual cardholder.

 

How does it work in practice?

For the 3D Secure technology to work, it must be supported by all participants in the transaction — the bank, the payment system, and the merchant. You can identify support by the Verified by Visa or SecureCode logos on the online store’s website.

When you enter your card details and click “pay,” the confirmation process takes place as follows:

1. The system automatically redirects you to the bank’s secure page to confirm the payment.
2. The issuing bank authenticates the cardholder through:

• SMS with a one-time password;
• push request to the mobile application;
• biometric verification via fingerprint, Face ID, etc.

3. If the identification is successfully completed, the bank confirms the transaction and authorizes the debiting of funds.

For Agroprosperis Bank clients who connected GSM notification when opening a card, the 3D Secure service is activated automatically and free of charge — no additional actions are required. Cardholder authentication is carried out by sending an SMS with a one-time four-digit numeric password to the financial phone number registered by the cardholder with the bank. This password has a limited time for use and is generated for each separate transaction.

 

Bank cards

 

What advantages does 3D Secure offer the user?

The use of the 3DSecure protocol has significant advantages important for anyone making online payments:

• Protection against fraudsters — even if card data falls into the hands of criminals, they will not be able to complete the transaction without confirmation.
• Security guarantee — in the event of fraud, responsibility for the security of the transaction is transferred to the bank.
• Supported by leading payment systems.
• Transaction transparency — you always know exactly which operation requires confirmation.

 

What is 3D Secure 2.0?

3DS 2.0 is the updated version of the protocol, taking into account advanced requirements for speed, convenience, and cybersecurity. The technology allows payments to be confirmed without redirection to other pages, supports mobile devices, biometrics, automatic risk assessment, and complies with European customer protection standards.

 

Conclusion

3D Secure is not just a code from an SMS message. It is an effective security system that safeguards your financial security online. Thanks to modern authentication technologies and the cooperation of banks and payment systems, the risk of online transactions is reduced, making online shopping safer, faster, and more convenient.

You should remember that 3D Secure does not guarantee 100% security, but it significantly reduces the risk of fraud.

 

Useful articles on the topic:

1. What does an issuing bank mean?
2. What is a debit card?
3. What is a financial phone number and how to protect it from fraudsters
4. How to shop online safely