Padding
Padding is the expansion of a data string with fill data in order to bring the string up to a specific length. Usually the new length of the data string must be a multiple of a specific block length (e.g. 8 bytes), to make it possible for example for the data string to be processed by a cryptographic algorithm.


Paper web formation
= Paper web formation process


Paper web formation process
This takes place during the paper manufacture on the cylinder mould during the thread deposit and alignment on the mesh.


Passivation
Protection layer on a semiconductor to protect it from oxidation and other chemical processes. It must be removed before the semiconductor can be manipulated.


Patch
In software development a patch is a short program, often written directly in machine code, which supplements or modifies the functionality of a given program. Patches are usually used as a fast and uncomplicated means of correcting a program error.


Patch, holographic
A hologram containing a design that is exactly positioned from all sides. A patch is a transfer element (in addition to the LEAD stripe).


Payment transactions
Payment transactions are all payments between two or more parties with a monetary value. In the smart card world, this still refers to electronic payment transaction. Smart cards permit all payment types such as "pay before" (electronic purse), "pay now" (debit card/ec card), or “pay later” (credit card). In the future, electronic payment transactions will replace the traditional counterpart of payment with bills and coins.

PCMCIA, PCMCIA card (PC card)
Abbreviation of “Personal Computer Memory Card International Association” – international body that sets norms for storage cards. It has resulted in the TYPE I, TYPE II and TYPE III standards for expansion cards in check card formats. These low-current storage cards support plug and play. Nowadays the term “PC card” is used rather than “PCMCIA card”.


PDA
Short for “Personal Digital Assistant”.


PEAK^®
Stands for “Printed and Embossed Anticopy Key” and is a security feature printed on banknotes. PEAK^® is a combination of offset and intaglio printing, recognizable by its three-dimensional, optically variable image, which changes its color and information according to the viewing angle and light direction. Intaglio printing produces a simple impression on the affected area (without color).


Personal Identification Number (PIN)
A PIN is also a form of electronic signature. The PIN is used to identify the user of the card as authorized. The PIN assumes function of the signature. A four-digit PIN has 9999 possible combinations. In reality there are somewhat fewer, since easy to guess combinations such as 3333 or 4711 are excluded. In GSM cards, the PIN has eight digits that can be freely chosen by the cardholder.


Personalization
The main features of early credit cards were personal details such as name, account number, and validity period, which were transferred on to the pay slip using a mechanical “reader” at time of payment. The signature on the card (and on the document) protected the user’s authenticity and identity. Embossing is still used, but there are now other more modern means of personalizing cards. Today, laser engraving processes are the technology standard. G&D has developed compact, modular personalization systems that use lasers to burn all personal data, in addition to image and text and barcodes or copy-protected OVI printing into the card in a single operation. As well as personalizing the body of the card and the magnetic stripe, the process also loads the data onto any chip implanted in the card.

Pharming
Pharming is a manipulation of the host file of Web browsers in order to divert queries to fraudulent Websites. It is a further development of classic phishing. Pharming has become established as a generic term for various types of DNS attack. One method is the local manipulation of the host file. This uses a Trojan or virus to manipulate the system in such a way that this system can only call up fraudulent websites, even when they enter the correct address. The purpose of the manipulation is usually to steal credit card details or similar security-related or confidential data (e.g. from online consultations).


Phishing
Phishing is a form of fraudulent deception and is the generic term used to describe the widespread illegal attempts to get users to unlock their access details (login name and password) to security-related areas. Phishing is a form of identity theft. Generally, a phishing attack is linked to an e-mail targeted at specific persons or an e-mail mass mailing. The text of the e-mail asks the recipient to visit a website where they are asked to enter their access details. If they comply with the request, their access details fall into the hands of the originator of the phishing attack.


PIDSY^®
Post Identification System – tracking software that registers the specific characteristics of each banknote inserted in a payment terminal. This data is stored with the payer’s transaction details in the payment or recycling machine. If a forgery is identified, it allows the data of this forgery to be combined with the original payment data. This makes it possible to trace the source of the forgery. See Retrace.


PIN
Short for “Personal Identification Number” – another term for identification number or personal code. A PIN is a secret number that can be used for example to activate a mobile phone card. The phone cannot be used until activated with this code.


Pin pad
Special keypad integrated in payment transaction terminals or a separate keyboard enabling a personal secret number (PIN) to be entered when carrying out card-protected electronic payment transactions. For security reasons the PIN is encrypted by the Pin Pad.

(PKCS-1-) Padding
Expansion of a data string with fill data in order to bring the string up to a specific length. Usually the new length must be a multiple of a specific block length (e.g. 8 bytes), to make it possible for example for the data string to be processed by a cryptographic algorithm.


PKCS #1 ... 15
Public Key Cryptography Standards rules published by RSA Inc. for use in asymmetric crypto-algorithms such as RSA. PKCS #1 PKCS #2 PKCS #3, etc.


PKI (Public Key Infrastructure)
Encryption method that uses a confidential key and a public key on the Internet. Both keys are required to decrypt data that has been encoded with one of the two keys (see also PGP).


Planchet
Small round or polygonal sheets that are applied across the surface or within a defined stripe of the paper.


Planchets, iridescent
Iridescent round or polygonal sheets that are applied across the surface or within a defined stripe of the paper.


Plug-in
Miniature chip card used mainly in GSM applications (width: » 25 mm, height: » 15 mm, thickness: » 0.76 mm).


PM
Product manager, responsible for the entire life cycle of a product, from planning through to production stage (market research, product definition, specifications, business plan, order to R&D, product acceptance) and who controls the strategic orientation of a product group on the market (versions, upgrades, further development, software releases, and market launch).


PMI
Person Machine Interface – separate user terminal that simplifies data input at the Numeron^®.

Point of Sale / POS
Sale point/cash till; place at which banknotes change hands.


Polymer banknotes
Synthetic plastic banknotes made of pure plastic, i.e. no wood or cotton paper. They are made by Securency in Australia. Distribution: Australia, Bangladesh, China, Kuwait, Romania, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Vietnam (23 in all).


Positive text
A text element printed on the security thread.


PPS handling
The chip card displays various parameters for data transmission within the ATR’s interface characters. If a terminal wishes to modify one or more of these parameters, it has to run a PPS (protocol parameter selection, also called PTS) before the actual transmission protocol. If the chip card allows this, the terminal can modify certain protocol parameters.


Prepaid card
Prepaid cards are reloadable voucher cards that are preloaded with an amount paid for in advance that can be downloaded by a cell phone user.


Pre-personalization
Pre-personalization is another name for initialization (see Initialization).

Primer
A track laid under the hologram strip which links the substrate (paper) and the hologram stripe; it can contain luminescent and/or machine-readable characteristics.


Processor
The main functional unit on a microcontroller. It executes the machine commands and memory access specified by the program. The term CPU (central processing unit) is often used as a synonym for processor.


Processor card
Processor card is the short form of microprocessor card (see Microprocessor card).


Protocol
Describes the collection of rules for formats and types of data transmission between different computer systems.


PSTN
Public Switched Telephone Network: conventional networks allow individual phone subscribers to call one another.


Public key
Publicly known part of an asymmetrical key pair. This is in the certificate and can be used by all participants in the security infrastructure (PKI) to encrypt data for this key pair or to check this digital signal. The owner can then decrypt the data with his private key.


Public Key Encryption
A cryptographic system that uses two different keys (a public and a private key) to encrypt and sign data. In public key encryption the public key is made generally accessible. The best known public key algorithm is the RSA algorithm.


PVC
Polyvinyl chloride; a polymer used in the production of laminated card bodies for particular types of intelligent cards, especially those that require embossing, a signature panel or test sheets (see ABS).