Reduce your risk with digital payment methods

Mobile payment solutions like Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc. are rapidly becoming popular alternatives to traditional payment methods like cash and credit cards. We believe it’s important to understand and utilize these solutions because they offer a greater level of security. Keep reading to learn how these solutions can reduce risk and improve your digital experience!

Digital Tokens

Apple Pay and Google Pay use tokenization; a process that replaces sensitive information like credit card numbers, with unique encrypted tokens. Tokens are useless to everyone except the payment processor who can decrypt the token. This is not a capability of regular credit cards.  Although credit cards with chips are more secure than traditional credit cards, they are not as secure as digital payments offered by Apple and Google.

Biometric Authentication

Both iOS (Apple) and Android offer biometric authentication for most devices. Biometric authentication includes facial recognition and fingerprint recognition; also, it adds an extra layer of security that ensures only authorized users can initiate transactions.  Traditional payment methods that rely on pins and/or signatures don't provide as much security as biometric authentication.

Device-Specific Security

Apple Pay and Google Pay transactions can only be completed by specific users on devices linked to the owner’s account.  This reduces the risk of unauthorized transactions, even if a user's payment information is compromised. Additionally, both iOS (Apple) and Android offer remote device locking and wiping features that further enhance security in the event of loss or theft. 

Transaction Anonymity

When paying with Apple Pay or Google Pay, payment details aren’t shared with merchants. Instead, a one-time-use token is generated for each transaction, which keeps the user's financial information private and reduces the risk of data breaches.

Security Updates

Both Apple and Google frequently release security updates for their software to keep the platforms safe.  This keeps payment and personal information safe and also keeps emerging threats at bay.

Digital payment security features such as those offered by Apple Pay and Google Pay are superior to traditional payment method security. If you’re not already using digital payment methods, Homefront Cybersecurity recommends you consider incorporating these methods into your personal cybersecurity practices to keep your information and payments safe.