Secure payment: standards and certifications in e-commerce

Secure payment: standards and certifications in e-commerce

Securing transactions has become a strategic issue for any e-commerce site. According to the Banque de France, the fraud rate on online payments reached 0.193% in 2023, or around 10 times higher than local payments. Faced with this risk, merchants must rely on a strict ecosystem of technical standards and regulatory certifications. Understanding these standards is not an option: it is a legal, commercial and insurance obligation which conditions consumer confidence and the sustainability of the activity.

PCI DSS: the global basis for card securityThePayment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) ⬥⬥⬥, published by the PCI Security Standards Council (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, JCB), constitutes the mandatory repository for any actor storing, processing or transmitting bank card data. Version 4.0, fully applicable since March 31, 2024, imposes 12 major requirements divided into 6 objectives: secure the network, protect data, manage vulnerabilities, control access, monitor systems and maintain a security policy.

The level of compliance depends on the volume of annual transactions:

• The level of compliance depends on the volume of annual transactions:Level 1 ⬥⬥⬥: more than 6 million transactions/year — annual audit by a QSA (Qualified Security Assessor)
• Level 2 ⬥⬥⬥: 1 to 6 million — SAQ self-assessment + quarterly ASV scanLevels 3 and 4 ⬥⬥⬥: less than 1 million — Simplified SAQ
• Non-compliance exposes you to fines ranging from €5,000 to €100,000 per month, or even the loss of card acceptance approval.3D Secure 2 and strong authentication (SCA)

3D Secure 2 and strong authentication (SCA)

Imposed by the

European directive PSD2 (PSD2)and its technical regulation RTS,strong customer authentication (Strong Customer Authentication)has been mandatory since May 15, 2021 in France. It is based on the combination of at least two factors: knowledge (password), possession (smartphone) and inherence (biometrics).has been mandatory since May 15, 2021 in France. It is based on the combination of at least two factors: knowledge (password), possession (smartphone) and inherence (biometrics).

The3D Secure 2.x(EMV 3DS) protocol replaces the historical version. It allows real-time risk analysis using more than 100 contextual data (device fingerprint, history, basket), allowing “frictionless” journeys for low-risk transactions. Result: conversion rate preserved and liability in the event of fraud transferred to the card issuer (liability shift).

Tokenization, encryption and additional certifications

⬥⬥⬥ tokenizationreplaces sensitive data with a non-exploitable identifier, drastically reducing the PCI DSS scope. Coupled with encryptionreplaces sensitive data with a non-exploitable identifier, drastically reducing the PCI DSS scope. Coupled with encryptionTLS 1.2 minimum(TLS 1.3 recommended) andHSM (Hardware Security Modules) certified FIPS 140-2 level 3 ⬥⬥⬥, it constitutes current best practice.Other certifications reinforce the credibility of a merchant site:

ISO/IEC 27001 ⬥⬥⬥: information security management

• ISO/IEC 27001 ⬥⬥⬥: information security managementSOC 2 Type II ⬥⬥⬥: operational controls at cloud providers
• PSP certificationby the ACPR for payment institutions
• eIDAS labelfor qualified electronic signatures
• for qualified electronic signaturesLegal framework applicable in France and in Europe

Beyond PSD2, several texts govern online payment: the

Monetary and Financial Code (articles L.133-1 et seq.)sets responsibilities in the event of fraud; theGDPR (EU regulation 2016/679)GDPR (EU regulation 2016/679)requires the minimization of the banking data collected; theDORA regulation(applicable since January 2025) strengthens the digital operational resilience of financial players. The CNIL regularly sanctions breaches: in 2023, several e-retailers were singled out for non-compliant storage of CVV.

Conclusion

Payment security is not just about checking regulatory boxes: it is a direct investment in conversion rate and reputation. A PCI DSS 4.0 compliant site, integrating 3DS2 with smart exemptions and tokenization, reduces both fraud (up to -80%) and cart abandonment. Auditing your payment provider (PSP) annually and keeping your compliance documentation up to date are essential reflexes for any serious e-retailer.