Partial PAN Matching Using Merchant Transaction Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems struggle to identify complete payment card account numbers (PANs) when only partial PANs are available, complicating the process of identifying exposed accounts and determining the common point of purchase.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that builds a merchant table using transaction data, calculates metrics based on candidate PANs, and identifies a likely source of partial PANs by matching them to candidate PANs, enabling the identification of complete PANs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If only partial PANs are available from exposed accounts, then the ability to identify complete account numbers is limited, but the need to identify exposed accounts remains critical for security
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces merchant transaction data as an intermediary element to bridge the gap between partial PANs and complete PANs. By using merchant identifiers and transaction records as a mediator, the system can infer missing digits and identify the likely source merchant where the partial PAN was exposed, thereby recovering complete account information without directly having access to full PANs.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of trying to directly guess or brute-force complete PANs from partial sequences, the patent inverts the approach by starting with complete PANs from transaction databases and working backwards to match them against exposed partial PANs. This reverse matching strategy leverages existing complete account data to identify which complete PANs correspond to exposed partial sequences.
2Reliability
If existing systems cannot identify complete PANs from partial PANs, then security monitoring is hampered, but implementing complex identification systems increases system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes existing merchant transaction databases serve multiple functions: they continue to process normal payment transactions while simultaneously providing the data foundation for PAN identification and exposure detection. The same transaction records that facilitate commerce are repurposed to enhance security monitoring, eliminating the need for separate dedicated identification systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own existing transaction database and merchant network to identify exposed PANs, rather than requiring external specialized tools. The merchant data infrastructure serves itself by providing both the exposure detection capability and the matching mechanism, reducing external dependencies and system complexity.
3Productivity
If merchants store complete payment card information for recurring transactions, then checkout speed is improved, but the risk of PAN exposure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary identification and flagging of potentially exposed PANs before they can be misused. By proactively detecting exposed partial PANs and matching them to stored complete PANs in the system, the framework enables preemptive security measures such as alerting merchants, blocking suspicious transactions, or notifying cardholders before fraud occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes a feedback loop where exposed partial PANs from external sources are continuously matched against stored complete PANs from transactions. When matches are found, the system provides feedback to merchants and payment processors to take corrective actions, creating a closed-loop security system that continuously improves detection and response capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for identifying complete account identifiers from partial account identifiers is provided. The system includes an account identification computing device including at least one processor and a memory device in communication with the at least one processor. The processor is configured to receive transaction data including unique merchant identifiers, build a merchant table using the transaction data, and receive a list including partial account identifiers. The processor is further configured to determine, for each unique merchant identifier, a number of candidate account identifiers and calculate at least one metric based on the number of candidate account identifiers. The processor is further configured to identify a source unique merchant identifier and match at least one candidate account identifier to a complete account identifier by matching one of the partial account identifiers to the at least one candidate account identifier.