Bluefin Payment Systems, a provider of secure payment technology for enterprises, financial institutions and small to medium-size businesses, announced today that its PayConex PCI-validated point-to-point encryption product is now certified for mobile payments.

According to a press release, this product is the first in North America to receive PCI validation. Bluefin’s Mobile P2PE will interface with the company's QuickSwipe mobile point-of-sale system, using Infinite Peripherals' PCI P2PE-approved Prima M mobile swipe device, according to the announcement.

PCI-validated P2PE encrypts cardholder data within a PCI P2PE-approved point-of-entry device, so it does not reach the merchant’s system or network as clear text cardholder data that could be accessible to a fraudster in the event of a data breach, Bluefin explained in the press release. 

"In this the age of cyberattacks and security breaches, a secure mobile payment solution is absolutely mandatory," Ruston Miles, chief innovation officer for Bluefin Payment Systems, said in a statement. "Protecting cardholder data, guarding against fraud and, concurrently, reducing merchant and issuer liability requires a multi-faceted approach to securing card information and customer data. The security of mobile phones and tablets continues to evolve and merchants do not have the ability to modify mobile device configurations to provide additional levels of security. With our P2PE Mobile Solution, the card reader is tamper proof and all of the card data is encrypted with P2PE upon card swipe so data is ever stored on the device."

Companies can choose to use the QuickSwipe Mobile P2PE product with an iOS phone or tablet, or they can choose the complete QuickSwipe mPOS product, including the tablet stand, cash register and Bluetooth printer, according to the announcement.