Frequently Asked Question
For P2PE Requirement 6E-4.1, testing procedures 6E-4.1.c and d specify unique POI keys'does this mean that unique public encryption keys must exist for each POI?
This is a Technical FAQ for P2PE versions 1.x. This is a "normative" FAQ that is considered to be part of the P2PE requirements and shall be considered during a P2PE assessment in the same light as the published P2PE standard. These technical FAQs are also published together in "Technical FAQs for use with P2PE Versions 1.x" available in the Documents Library of this website.
The intent of this requirement is that all secret and private cryptographic keys used in transaction-originating POI devices for any function directly or indirectly related to account-data protection are unique per POI device. The intent is not that each individual POI must have its own public encryption keys, but that where a POI does have its own public/private key pairs (for example, for authentication or key conveyance), the private key(s) owned by the POI and its associated public key(s) must be unique per POI. Therefore, the focuses of the test at 6E-4.1.c and d are, IF POIs have their own public/private key pairs, to confirm that each individual POI has a unique public key(s), and thereby confirm the uniqueness of each POI's private key(s).
The intent of this requirement is that all secret and private cryptographic keys used in transaction-originating POI devices for any function directly or indirectly related to account-data protection are unique per POI device. The intent is not that each individual POI must have its own public encryption keys, but that where a POI does have its own public/private key pairs (for example, for authentication or key conveyance), the private key(s) owned by the POI and its associated public key(s) must be unique per POI. Therefore, the focuses of the test at 6E-4.1.c and d are, IF POIs have their own public/private key pairs, to confirm that each individual POI has a unique public key(s), and thereby confirm the uniqueness of each POI's private key(s).
September 2015
Article Number: 1352
