The Smart Card Alliance and Heartland Payment Systems Inc. unveiled the National Center for Advanced Payments and Identity Security on Feb. 3, 2016. The permanent facility, located in Arlington, Va. near Washington, D.C., will continue the work of the Smart Card Alliance Educational Institute. Established through a grant from Heartland and managed by the SCA, the center will host a diversified curriculum of security education, training and certification, the companies stated.
Over the years, the SCA has provided educational resources and programs designed to inform industry stakeholders of the latest developments in secure smart card technology. The not-for-profit, multi-industry association created the Certified Smart Card Industry Professional (CSCIP) credential, which is the smart card industry's principal certification program.
"Education is fundamental to improving the way the industry manages security," said Randy Vanderhoof, SCA Executive Director. "With this donation from Heartland Payment Systems, the Smart Card Alliance is able to greatly expand education and collaboration programs aimed at improving security across multiple markets and subject areas, including payment security, identity security and privacy protection, through face-to-face and online events and assets."
Heartland and the SCA, both headquartered in Princeton, N.J., are committed to promoting and implementing best-in-class data security standards. A long-time SCA sponsor, Heartland is also a founding member of the Payments Processing Information Sharing Council, which operates under the umbrella of the Financial Service Information Sharing and Analysis Center. Heartland's stunning recovery from a 2009 data security breach is evidenced in its multilayered security infrastructure and role in numerous security initiatives.
"Protecting customers is our number one priority, so it is our duty that we help educate them to better protect consumers' privacy and advance the security of payments and identity through education programs on best industry practices and advances in security technologies," said Robert O. Carr, Heartland Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Carr cited Heartland Secure and Heartland Secure Out-of-Scope as examples of the company's innovative approach to data security. Heartland Secure combines Europay, MasterCard and Visa (EMV), end-to-end encryption and tokenization technologies to protect card-present transactions. Its out-of-scope solution enables payment authorizations to entirely bypass the POS. A data breach warranty further protects Heartland merchants, guaranteeing reimbursement of compliance fines, fees and assessments if encryption should fail in any Heartland Secure device.
The center plans to make its educational programs available to numerous government and private sectors, as well as members and non-members of the SCA. In addition to its onsite venues, the center plans to live stream, record and archive content as part of an online resource library hosted by the SCA.
"It was a proud day on February 3rd as we officially celebrated the opening of the National Center for Advanced Payments and Identity Security," said Deborah Baxley, International Mobile/Cards Payment Consultant and active member in the SCA Payments and Mobile Councils. "Thanks to a generous grant from Heartland Payment, the Smart Card Alliance has been able to establish a physical presence in Washington D.C. This will be the centerpiece of exciting new innovations such as the Security of Things Conference, and the newly established IoT Council."
The National Center for Advanced Payments and Identity Security facility is located at 2900 Crystal Drive, Arlington, Virginia. Additional information about upcoming events, course offerings, training and certification programs, and exam schedules can be found at http://www.smartcardalliance.org/. 
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