Chapter 2

Card Anatomy

The Essentials

Before we delve into the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI-DSS), it is very important to understand the structure and workings of a payment card. A payment card has many instances of data embedded in the card, and a lot of this data constitutes sensitive information, which needs to be secure. In this chapter, I will provide a detailed view into the anatomy of a credit card, some of the key terminologies used in the payment-card industry, and some of the data sets that are considered sensitive and need to be protected.

2.1 Payment Cards: Types of Cards

2.1.1 Payment Card with Magnetic Stripe

In the previous chapter, we discussed that the payment-card industry has evolved over time. The evolution ...

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