VeriFone MX 900 Series Secure Payment Terminal User Manual

VeriFone MX 900 Series Secure Payment Terminal

INTRODUCTION

Acronyms

The following table describes the common acronyms used:

FEATURES

Overview

The two new MX 900 Series models are the MX 915 and MX 925. The common features between both models are: core hardware design based on the proven MX 900 Series architecture (includes system processor, power management unit, and backup power supervisor), compatibility with existing Berg cable, single MSR head, smart card connector, microSD card slot, contactless antenna and circuitry, audio codec with stereo speaker and headphone output, three SAM card slots, support for 802.11n and Bluetooth wireless, IBM® Tailgate protocol support, and a low power or hibernation mode. The MX 915 features a color 4.3″ display with a capacitive touch panel and keypad for user input. The defining feature of the MX 925 is a color 7″ screen with hardware-accelerated DVD quality video. It uses a capacitive touch panel with signature capture capabilities and a keypad for user input.

Modular Design

The MX 900 Series terminals offer outstanding flexibility due to their modular design. Both units feature a card edge connector on the bottom of the unit facing the rear. I/O modules will connect to this edge connector. All external connections to the units connect through this I/O module. This includes power, USB, Ethernet, serial, and audio. Two of the I/O modules also have support for the existing Berg connector and cabling.

Features and Benefits

The following are the features and benefits of the MX 900 Series terminals:

Factory Options

Factory options are available for the MX 900 Series terminals, depending on your needs.

Speakers
Both terminals have built-in speakers for tones and prompts. A line-out port is available to drive externally powered speakers.

Applications

Standard payment applications are available from VeriFone to interface with most ECRs. Applications for the terminals are written using a C-based programming language. These programs can be downloaded directly from an ECR or a development PC using the MX 900 Series terminal System Mode. Terminal System Mode can also be used for diagnostics, changing the password, and debit Key injection. See the System Mode chapter for more information.

Total Cost of Ownership

The MX 900 Series terminals have been designed to be flexible and future-proof, delivering a low total cost of ownership. The modular terminals can be configured at the factory or in the field by a trained technician. The flexibility and versatility of the terminals allow the use of the terminals with different capabilities in different stores or locations. The terminals can be purchased with the modules that meet today’s requirements, and other capabilities can be added as and when needed.

FILE AUTHENTICATION

The VeriFone Certificate Authority

To manage the tools and processes related to FA, VeriFone has established a centralized VeriFone Certificate Authority or VeriFone CA. This agency is responsible for managing keys and certificates. The VeriFone CA uses an integrated set of software tools to generate and distribute digital certificates and private cryptographic keys to customers who purchase the MX 900 Series terminal.

Required Files

The following specially formatted files support the FA process:

• A digital certificate (*.crt file) is a digital, public document used to verify the signature of a file.
•  A digital signature (*.p7s file) is a piece of information based on both the file and the signer’s private cryptographic key. The file sender digitally signs the file using a private key. The file receiver uses a digital certificate to verify the sender’s digital signature.
• Signer private keys are securely conveyed to clients on smart cards. On MX 900, private keys are not kept in files. (The .key file in the File Signing Tool is for legacy platforms supporting a default signer certificate.) The secret passwords required by clients to generate signature files, using signer private keys, are sent as PINs over a separate channel such as registered mail or encrypted e-mail.

Digital certificates and signature files need not be secured to safeguard the overall security of VeriShield. The special file types that support the file authentication process are recognized by their filename extensions:

All digital certificates are generated and managed by VeriFone CA and are distributed on request to MX 900 Series terminal clients — either internally within VeriFone or externally to sponsors.

Note: All certificates that are issued by the VeriFone CA for the MX 900 Series terminal platform, and for any VeriFone platform with the VeriShield security architecture, are hierarchically related. That is, a lower-level certificate can only be authenticated under the authority of a higher-level certificate. The security of the highest-level certificate called the platform root certificate is strictly controlled by VeriFone. The required cryptographically related private keys that support the file authentication process are also generated and distributed by the VeriFone CA.

Certificate Request

1. A sponsor connects to the VeriFone CA Web site and requests certificates for deployment terminals.
2. Based on information provided by the sponsor through the VeriFone CA Website, the VeriFone CA determines the required certificate structure.
3. VeriFone CA generates the following items for the sponsor:
   •  Smart card containing a set of certificates and keys.
   •  Smart card PIN.
4. VeriFone CA sends the smart card and smart card PIN to the sponsor.
5. The sponsor uses the smart card and smart card PIN as inputs for the deployment process.

Development Process

The Development Process is the same as the Deployment Process except different cards are ordered and used. Proceed to the Deployment section.

Deployment Process

1. The sponsor provides the application file (from the development process) and the smart card and smart card PIN (from the certificate request process) as inputs to VeriShield.
2. VeriShield unlocks the smart card with the provided PIN, and sends the file to be signed to the smart cart that will compute the signature with the resident private key. VeriShield extracts the signature, signer certificate, and sponsor certificate from the smart card.
3. VeriShield uses the extracted data, along with the application file, to create a signature file (*.p7s).
4. VeriShield creates files suitable for downloading from the smart card data.
5. The signature file, the application file, and the extracted signer and sponsor certificates are downloaded into a deployment terminal, where the following actions occur:
   • When an attempt is made to install an application executable or data file, a matching signature and certificate must be present.
   • The operating system compares the application file’s signature against the values stored in the application file’s calculated signature.
6. Each successfully authenticated application file is installed on the terminal (otherwise, the application file is deleted on failed authentication and an error message is displayed.) The development and/or deployment process is illustrated in the flowchart below.

SYSTEM MODE

Verifying Terminal Status

The MX 900 Series terminal you are working with may or may not have an application program running on it. After you have set up the terminal and the terminal is turned on, use the following guidelines to verify the terminal status regarding software and current operating mode.

• If there is no application program loaded into the terminal flash, the terminal enters the System Mode screen.
• If an application program is loaded into terminal flash, an application-specific prompt appears. The application runs and the terminal is in normal mode.

Entering System Mode

With an application loaded, use the following procedure to enter System Mode.

Note: Before entering System Mode and selecting the function(s) to perform, verify that the MX 900 Series terminal has been installed as described in the MX 900 Series Installation Guide. Make sure that the terminal is connected to a power source and is turned on.

1. With the application running, push a paper clip into the small recessed button on the bottom near the serial number. The three blue LEDs light. Release the button. Alternatively, pressing the ‘1’, ‘5’, ‘9’ keys at the same time will cause the terminal to go into System Mode.
2. Select one of the four possible System Mode logins:
   • Supervisor: Full capability
   • Level1: User defined capability
   • Level2: User-defined capability
   • Maintenance: Intended for VeriFone repair, allows minimal access
3. Once the login has been selected, enter the password. If the password is pre-expired or is pending change the user must enter the current password and then a new password (pre-defined in the case of a pending password change). The new password must be entered twice for validation. The default System Mode password is: 166831 or 166832.
4. If the password is entered correctly, the System Mode idle screen displays. If the password is not entered correctly, the error “A password was entered incorrectly” displays and the login screen displays again.

Exiting System Mode

After successful completion, some operations automatically exit System Mode and restart the terminal. Other operations require that you manually exit System Mode and restart the terminal by tapping Home.

System Mode Menus

Access the submenus by tapping the tab name. The System Mode screen and submenus are shown below. In recent years, UI navigation breadcrumbs have become popular because they allow the user to see their location within a program and they allow a quick return back to any point within the breadcrumb trail. The “>” greater than symbol is used to separate points (crumbs) along the path. Touching any of the words/abbreviations along the path will instantly move the user to that point.

PERFORMING DOWNLOADS

Requirements

Downloads require moving the application and/or application data files from a remote computer to the terminal. In the MX 900 Series application development, application files are downloaded from a development PC directly to the terminal. In the field, application files must be transferred from the terminal’s controlling device (ECR, LAN controller, and so on) to the terminal. The MX 900 supports a module called the Secure Installer (SI). The secure installer is responsible for the authentication and installation of applications and operating system components. The secure installer follows a well-defined specification requiring bundles and packages. Detailed information on the creation of download files for MX 900 is contained in the Programmer’s Manual. Also, note that the MX 900 SDK includes a tool called the Package Manager to aid developers and deployment personnel create and maintaining bundles and packages.

DDL Command Line Syntax

The format of the DDL program is:
DDL [options] file1 [file2 … ] [config-data]

DDL Command Line File

If you need to specify more variables than the DOS command line allows, you can use a simple configuration file (-F option) to extend the length of the command line. A command line file is an ASCII text file that allows you to supply as many variables as required.

Download Procedures

Use the following procedures to perform downloads to an MX 900 Series terminal. For additional information about downloading files to the MX 900 Series terminals, see Transfer in the System Mode chapter.

Downloading without an Onboard Application

Use the following procedure to perform a download from a host PC to an MX 900 Series terminal with no application installed. The terminal must be powered on to begin the procedure.

1. Make all cable connections.
2. Launch the DDL application on the host PC.
3. Enter System Mode using a secure user password.
4. Tap TRANSFER on the System Mode menu.
5. Tap the SERIAL/USB tab to perform a direct download to the terminal.
6. Set the port and baud rate.
7. Tap the GO button to perform the download.
   Asterisks (*) display onscreen to indicate the state of the download. Each asterisk denotes approximately 10% completion. On download completion, the terminal returns to the main screen.

PCLANCNV Utility

On the MX 900 Series terminal, the PCLANCNV utility is used to create a download file that is compatible with the IBM ECR. On legacy retail platforms, the PCLANCNV utility was used to create compressed files. On the MX 900 Series, the standard Linux tar utility is used to create compressed files. The compression used by the PCLANCNV utility is no longer supported. A file that has been created using the Linux tar utility can become the input file to PCLANCNV for conversion to IBM ECR format. PCLANCNV is a command line utility that runs under DOS. PCLANCNV has been run successfully under the Command Prompt on Windows® XP. The MX 900 Series does not support the –p Pinstripe LAN or the –t compressed ZonTalk formats (these formats are used by legacy terminals). The –r IBM ECR format is supported and is in fact the only reason to use PCLANCNV. It is strongly recommended that the Linux tar utility be used to combine/compress files prior to running PCLANCNV. The IBM ECR does not understand or support the complex directory structure and file permissions of the MX 900 Series. Using a tar file as input to PCLANCNV will preserve the file structure information. For testing, PCLANCNV supports the –d command line option. The –d option causes PCLANCNV to expand the specified file into the original input files in a TEMP subdirectory on the PC. The TEMP subdirectory must exist prior to running the –d option. Once a download file has been completely received, the MX will expand and install the contents of the file. If operating system components were included in the download file, the terminal will reboot.

• If the environment variable ends with an asterisk (“*”), add an additional asterisk to clear that variable.
• If the <value> for an environment variable includes a space, <value> must be enclosed in quotation marks.

Command Line Rules

PCLANCNV command line options must conform to several rules:

• Each application code file is specified without a control parameter.
• Each application data file and signature filename must be preceded with an -i.
• Files must be specified in the order:
  • Application code file
  • Application code signature file
  •  Application data file
  • Application data signature file
• No spaces are allowed between the control parameter and its item.
• Control parameters may be upper- or lowercase.
• Other than the required order of files (a – d above), the order of items in the command line is not significant.
•  
• If the environment variable ends with an asterisk (“*”), add an additional asterisk to clear that variable. If the <value> for an environment variable includes a space, <value> must be enclosed in quotation marks.
  

  PCLANCNV Command Line Input Options
  filename	Input application code file (no control parameter before filename).
  -i<filename>	Input application data file or signature file.
  -k<C|D>	FileToBeSigned.nam, CertFile.crt, KeyFile.key, KeyPassword | where, C=AppCode and D=AppCode.
  Input Options (not files)
  location= <value>	Sets an environment variable to <value>, for example, *ZA=”TEST” and *ZT=”TERMID”
  location*	Clears an environment variable (delete the environment variable).
  -x<password>	Set terminal password.

VERISHIELD REMOTE KEY (VRK) READY DEVICE

Check for Valid VRK RSA Keys

1. Put the terminal into System Mode by using a straightened paperclip to press the reset button on the bottom side of the terminal near the serial number.
2. Select Supervisor. Key in the password and press enter.
3. Tap Security.
4. Tap Key Status.
5. Tap the VRK (RKL) tab and the following screen displays a valid VRK RSA Key Pair is installed and the terminal OS is VRK Ready. If the screen displays “Not Installed,” the terminal OS is not VRK Ready.

TERMINAL SPECIFICATIONS

Terminal Specifications

This chapter discusses power requirements, dimensions, and other specifications of the MX 900 Series terminals.

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VeriFone MX 900 Series Secure Payment Terminal-FAQs