A new era of trust in terminal authentication
Across Europe, financial institutions are under growing pressure to prove that their systems are secure, traceable, and resilient. New EU cybersecurity standards are reshaping how banks protect their digital infrastructure and while these regulations don’t prescribe specific technologies, they push the industry toward stronger, verifiable identities at every layer of the network.
That’s where Terminal Individual Certificates (TIZ) come in.
TIZ represents a new security paradigm for ATMs and payment terminals, where every device carries its own unique cryptographic identity.
From network security to terminal identity
Traditional terminal security focused on network protection: firewalls, encryption, and centralized access control. But as attacks grow more targeted, the weakness isn’t the network - it’s the endpoint.
If one terminal is compromised, a hacker could potentially pivot deeper into the infrastructure.
With TIZ, this risk is dramatically reduced. Each terminal is tied to an individual digital certificate - an identity that proves it is genuine and authorized. If an attacker compromises one ATM, the breach is contained. The rest of the network remains secure because the certificates are non-transferable and individually traceable.
Equally important, TIZ allows operators to know exactly which terminal has been affected. That visibility turns a blind incident into a controllable event.
A practical answer to new EU expectations
Recent EU regulations set a clear direction: financial systems must demonstrate operational resilience, controlled access, and complete auditability.
While the frameworks don’t name TIZ specifically, the logic is unavoidable. Unique device authentication is the simplest and most transparent way to meet those requirements.
In this sense, TIZ is not just another layer of encryption; it’s a compliance enabler.
It provides a clear, verifiable record of every device’s identity and activity - something regulators increasingly expect institutions to demonstrate.
Security that adapts to real-world operations
TIZ doesn’t just make systems safer, it also makes them smarter.
Certificates can be staged according to operational roles. For instance:
Technician mode: When a technician services an ATM, a temporary maintenance certificate restricts access to test functions only.
Live mode: Once maintenance is complete, the ATM switches back to its operational certificate for live transactions.
This staging mechanism prevents technicians from accessing sensitive production keys and eliminates the temptation or risk of sharing or selling active credentials. It also enables a secure testing environment that mirrors real operations without exposing live data.
For banks and operators, this creates a traceable, role-based security model aligned with modern compliance principles: least privilege, transparency, and accountability.
Building resilience into every terminal
The move toward individual terminal certificates reflects a broader industry shift, from network-wide defenses to granular, device-level trust.
It’s a model inspired by lessons from other sectors like cloud computing, where zero-trust architectures and certificate-based authentication are now standard.
Applied to ATMs and payment terminals, the same principles offer tangible benefits:
Isolation: A breach on one device stays contained.
Traceability: Each terminal’s actions can be independently verified.
Lifecycle control: Certificates can be renewed, revoked, or updated remotely.
In an environment where uptime, compliance, and customer confidence are inseparable, TIZ provides a scalable way to protect both technology and reputation.
Looking ahead
The industry’s security posture is evolving quickly.
As banks modernize their ATM fleets and payment infrastructure, the shift toward per-device authentication will likely become the norm rather than the exception.
TIZ isn’t mandated — it’s inevitable.
It’s the clearest path to meeting the intent of today’s EU cybersecurity standards and the most effective way to protect complex, distributed terminal networks.
For financial institutions, adopting TIZ early isn’t just about compliance. It’s about taking control of trust — one terminal at a time.
Sources
EMVCo – EMV® Specifications and Level 1–3 Terminal Testing Framework, describing terminal authentication and approval processes.
Deutsche Kreditwirtschaft (DK) – Guideline to achieve a girocard approval for a nexo POI (v1.0, 2023), detailing certificate validation and version consistency for approved payment terminals.
Cryptomathic – EMV Key Management Explained (White Paper), outlining key and certificate management principles in EMV environments.
J.P. Morgan Payments Developer Portal – Certificate Handling for Payment Terminals, describing terminal-host authentication and certificate lifecycle management.
TÜV SÜD – Mastercard Terminal Quality Management (TQM) Scheme Documentation, illustrating security and reliability certification for terminal components.