Social engineering-resistant design uses merchants’ cybersecurity technical environment to create unique digital fingerprint for secure account access and data exchange

VikingCloud, the leading cybersecurity and PCI compliance company, today announced a new patent filing for its Universal Merchant Identification System. The company has 28 granted patents and 3 additional patents pending.

VikingCloud manages cybersecurity and PCI compliance for more than four million merchants globally on behalf of the industry’s largest processors, acquirers, and independent sales organizations (ISOs). The company recently announced that it has joined forces with Mastercard, a global technology company in the payments industry, to co-develop cybersecurity solutions that help small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) protect themselves from cybercrime.

VikingCloud’s Universal Merchant Identification (ID) System will offer two key benefits to its millions of merchants globally:

1. Social engineering-resistant multi-factor authentication (MFA): VikingCloud’s technology provides company-level MFA using a unique digital fingerprint created by combining a business’ public record information with its site-specific cybersecurity technical environment, including devices, connections, and data flows.
   
   
   
   The unique merchant ID, created using cryptography and advanced identification schemes, will drive a highly secure challenge and response series of questions to confirm only customer-authorized agents are accessing Asgard®, VikingCloud’s merchant cybersecurity platform, or making changes to their cybersecurity solutions.
   
   
   
   
2. Seamless cybersecurity single sign-on (SSO): Merchants on the Asgard platform have access to an integrated network of cybersecurity solutions, including proprietary VikingCloud and industry-leading third-party solutions.
   
   
   
   The unique merchant ID will act as an industry standard to trigger token-based authentication for secure, one-stop access to highly sensitive data across VikingCloud’s cybersecurity partner network.

SMBs continue to be the primary target for cybercriminals – and social engineering remains the number one cause of cyberattacks. Yet, according to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the use of MFA on personal accounts makes individuals 99% less likely to be successfully attacked.

“Cyber criminals continue to take advantage of rapid AI advancements’ impact on social engineering to successfully target highly vulnerable merchants,” said Kevin Pierce, Chief Product Officer at VikingCloud. “Businesses cannot afford unauthorized access to their most critical business information and operations. Our latest patent-pending innovation brings the proven security process of MFA to protect the corporate identity and assets of the most at-risk SMBs, keeping their business uninterrupted from cyberattacks and identity theft.”

“Because our unique merchant IDs are based on company-specific technology digital fingerprints, they are truly applicable and available to virtually all industries that use any type of technical specifications, like healthcare, finance, telecommunications and more,” said Thomas Patterson, Senior Product Leader at VikingCloud and patent co-inventor.

The Universal Merchant ID System is expected to be available for merchant use in Q2 2025.

About VikingCloud

VikingCloud is the leading cybersecurity and PCI compliance company, offering businesses a single, integrated solution to make informed, predictive, and cost-effective risk mitigation decisions – faster. VikingCloud is the one-stop partner trusted by 4+ million businesses in 70+ countries to provide the predictive intelligence and competitive edge they need to stay one step ahead of cybersecurity and compliance disruptions to their business. For more information visit www.vikingcloud.com and follow us at www.linkedin.com/company/vikingcloud/.

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