Turns Out Square Isn't Secure Enough For Its Big Fancy New Partner, VISA (V, PAY)

Mobile payments startup Square plans to make all of its dongles encrypt credit card data on the fly, a Square exec said at a conference. This is after Square said in response to accusations from competitor Verifone that it doesn't need to encrypt credit card data.

Square is doing this to conform to Visa's new set of mobile application best practices. Those new best practices were released yesterday, just as it was announced that Visa made a strategic investment in Square. So in other words, Visa made Square add encryption to its dongle.

This must be a bummer for Square, because it has to design and build new dongles all over again. Moreover, we assume that the chips that will be needed to encrypt credit card data will be more costly than what the current dongle has, which should be costly -- Square gives away the dongles and makes money from a commission on each transaction.

Just to be clear: even without encrypting credit card data, Square is by all accounts fully compliant with all industry regulations. So it's not like there's this huge gaping security hole with Square. But their new big and  important partner evidently feels that they have to beef up their security.

Now You Should Read: Why Square Will Need To Ditch The Dongle →

For the latest tech news, visit SAI: Silicon Alley Insider. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• Visa Invests Big Money In Square, Even Though Square Probably Wants To Kill Visa
• PayPal Buys Another Startup To Beat Google, Apple And Square In The Mobile Payments Race
• Square COO Explains Why The Web Is Dead

Turns Out Square Isn't Secure Enough For Its Big Fancy New Partner, VISA (V, PAY)

Backlink: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/alleyinsider/silicon_alley_insider/~3/S11NcjpapPw/square-security-encryption-2011-4

Strange Planet: Macau's Cat Fancy

Lawrence Ferber uncovered a confluence of kitty kitsch and a caring cause in Macau.

 

Is Asia the cat's meow? Pardon the pun, or don't, but Asia is home to a few unique, even peculiar, cat-themed attractions. Tokyo and Taipei's "cat cafes," where one can mingle with a bevy of kitties while sipping a cuppa (and pay hourly for the honor), have received a fair amount of online ink, and the Kuching Cat Museum in Sarawak, Malaysia, which is dedicated to all things feline (from ancient Chinese representations to a poster for Broadway's CATS) and more than borders on kitsch, is a must-see. But look to Macau--aka the Las Vegas of the East--and you have a different sort of jackpot.

Meow Space is where stray cats, art, and retail therapy come together. Hong Kong's Almond Chan, who worked in print media as a writer and editor, teamed up with Macau designer Cora Si and opened their storefront in 2007. An independently funded shelter and adoption center for abandoned or homeless felines--approximately 700 have been rescued and placed so far--Meow Space also serves as a cat-centric art gallery and shop stocking locally crafted fashion and home goods that range from the quirky to chic. Wallets, purses, and tote bags bearing photos of previous Meow Space cats, T-shirts riffing on both feline and Chinese iconography, and gorgeous hand-printed stationery and wall hangings are among the offerings. Yes, they make purrrfect, one-of-a-kind souvenirs and gifts.

            

Located just across the street from a school, at recess time many students come by for a dose of feline affection, and with approximately 20 cats in the space at one time (in cages, beds, and walking or lazing about around freely) you're likely to get some yourself: one handsome, striped cat was even sitting on Meow Space's donation box--making a personal call for contribution to their cause. Speaking of, Chan (who presently contributes a column to a Hong Kong Buddhism magazine) has expansion plans should business pick up, which it might since Meow Space has received more media exposure lately, including mention in a promotional film screened at the Shanghai World Expo.

"If we can make more money from our business, we hope we can help dogs also," Chan adds. Bow-wow Space, anyone?

Photo: Lawrence Ferber

Post originale: http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/intelligenttravel/2010/11/strange-planet-macaus-cat-fanc.html