Glossary
This page has a generic list of glossary terms.
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3D Secure (Three-Domain Secure), also known as a payer authentication, is a security protocol that helps to prevent fraud in online credit and debit card transactions. This security feature is supported by Visa and Mastercard and is branded as ‘Verified by Visa’ and ‘Mastercard SecureCode’ respectively.
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The merchant acquirer or bank that offers the merchant a trading account, to enable the merchant to take payments in store or online from cardholders.
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This includes checks to confirm the cardholder identity, such as PIN, CVV2 and CAVV.
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Stage where a merchant requests approval for a card payment by sending a request to the card issuer to check that the card is valid, and that the requested authorisation amount is available on the card. At this stage the funds are not deducted from the card.
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Card network, such as Discover, Mastercard, or Visa, responsible for managing transactions over the network and for arbitration of any disputes.
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Where a cardholder disputes a transaction on their account and is unable to resolve directly with the merchant, they can raise a chargeback with their card issuer. The chargeback must be for a legitimate reason, such as goods and services not received, faulty goods, or a fraudulent transaction.
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Thredd receives batch clearing files from the card networks, containing clearing transactions, such as presentments and network fees. The card issuer transfers the requested settlement amount to the acquirer and 'clears' the amount on the card, reducing the available card balance accordingly.
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The external system to which Thredd sends real-time transaction-related data. The URL to this system is configured within per programme or product. The Program Manager uses their external host system to hold details of the balance on the cards in their programme and perform transaction-related services, such as payment authorisation, transaction matching and reconciliation.
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The card issuer, typically a financial organisation authorised to issue cards. The issuer has a direct relationship with the relevant card scheme.
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The shop or store providing a product or service that the cardholder is purchasing. A merchant must have a merchant account, provided by their acquirer, in order to trade. Physical stores use a terminal or card reader to request authorisation for transactions. Online sites provide an online shopping basket and use a payment service provider to process their payments.
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Four-digit code that classifies a merchant by the type of goods or services it sells, such as 5411 for grocery stores.
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The Primary Account Number (PAN) is the card identifier found on credit and debit cards, as well as in stored-value, gift and other similar cards. The 16-digit PAN is typically embossed on a physical card.
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The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a comprehensive information security standard designed to protect credit card and payment card data.
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A customer who manages a card programme. The program manager can create branded cards, load funds and provide other card or banking services to their end customers.
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A Public Token (or Thredd Token) refers to a digital representation of a payment card, created as part of the tokenisation process. Tokenisation is a security measure that replaces sensitive card information, such as the Primary Account Number (PAN), with a unique identifier or "token."
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SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP). A protocol for transferring files securely between two systems. SFTP runs over a Secure Shell (SSH) connection, which encrypts both the files and the login details in transit. SFTP is sometimes called Secure File Transfer Protocol.
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Smart Client is Thredd's user interface for managing your account on the Thredd Platform. It is also called Smart Processor . Smart Client is installed as a desktop application and requires a VPN connection to systems in order to be able to access your account.
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Thredd Portal is Thredd's web application for managing your cards and transactions on the Thredd Platform. For more information, see the Thredd Portal Guide.