Ingenico obtains the first EMVCo approval for the C8 Book kernel

Paris,  30 October 2024 - Ingenico is the world’s first company to receive EMVCo approval for the Book C-8 contactless kernel* on the AXIUM DX8000 payment terminal. Tested in partnership with Fime, our technology laboratory and tool provider, this kernel will enhance security features for the payment industry worldwide.

Ingenico is proud to announce that the AXIUM DX8000 product has received the first certification compliant with the EMV® Book C8 Contactless Kernel Specification. Working with Fime has streamlined the testing and certification process, allowing Ingenico to achieve EMVCo approval for the C-8 contactless kernel.

This strategic collaboration further highlights Ingenico’s commitment to simplify and secure contactless payment acceptance through the new C-8 Kernel standard. The C-8 Kernel represents a major advancement in the contactless payment ecosystem.

It is distinguished by its enhanced security features, such as:

• Support of cryptographic algorithms using Elliptic Curves (ECC), to ensure the authenticity of a payment card (Offline Data Authentication), a future-proof cryptographic algorithm, in replacement of RSA.
• Encryption of sensitive data protects against eavesdropping attacks.
• Relay Resistance Protocol, preventing sophisticated attacks where the customer payment information is used to make a payment at another merchant.

Besides its unique security features, EMV® Book C8 Contactless Kernel Specification is royalty free, which should help a rapid adoption of this new technology.

With this achievement, merchants using AXIUM devices, can be confident that their payment terminal will be able to be upgraded to support the C-8 Kernel at the time it is mandating, hence protecting their investments.

One of the key benefits of the C-8 Kernel is its compatibility with existing terminals, preventing costly replacements for merchants.

The new kernel can coexist with all other Level 2 contactless kernels already available on the market and will be gradually introduced and supported globally. It is expected to simplify existing solutions by reducing the number of kernels that will require updating and maintenance in the future.

With Fime’s cloud-based test tools and its test suite qualified by EMVCo, Ingenico benefited from a seamless certification process, reinforcing its position as a leader in the payment industry.

To learn more about the AXIUM Android range's compliance with all generic certifications, please visit this page.

EMV® is a registered trademark in the U.S. and other countries and an unregistered trademark elsewhere. The EMV trademark is owned by EMVCo, LLC.  
*A kernel is a software module that implements a specific Level 2 specification which manages the exchanges with the card and the transaction flow. A Level 2 Letter of Approval (LoA) applies only to a specific version of the kernel.