> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.verygoodsecurity.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.verygoodsecurity.com/cmp/products-and-services/3ds/3ds-authentication.md).
# 3DS Authentication
## 3DS Challenge Flow
Outlines the mandatory integration steps the Merchant (Frontend and Backend) must perform to execute a 3DS Authentication flow. The process is divided into two distinct phases:
* **Initialize** (device data collection).
* **Authentication** (final transaction submission).
* **3DS Status Check Request** for real-time status of a 3DS authentication and device fingerprinting process.
**Assumption:** Customers card is already created with CMP and a `card_id` has been generated.
For detailed API definitions and parameters, see the [3DS API Spec](/cmp/developer-resources/api/3d-secure-3ds.md).
### Initialize (Device Fingerprinting)
This is executed primarily on the Merchant Frontend to silently collect device-specific information from the cardholder’s browser. This process must be initiated when the checkout page first loads.
1. **Call the VGS Initialize Endpoint:**
* **Action:** The Merchant Frontend sends a **POST** request to the VGS method endpoint (`/cards/{card_id}/3ds-initialize`).
* **Data Required:** Include key identifiers such as `card_id, merchant_tx_id, and token_type.`
* [Initialize API Spec](/cmp/developer-resources/api/3d-secure-3ds.md#post-cards-card_id-3ds-initialize).
2. **Embed the Hidden Iframe:**
* **Action:** Upon receiving the response, which contains the tDSMethodContent (an iframe payload), the **Merchant Frontend** must immediately **embed this content into a hidden iframe** on the page.
* **Purpose:** This iframe executes the necessary script for silent device fingerprinting and must remain active for up to 10 seconds.
3. **Collect Browser Data:**
* **Action:** Concurrently, the **Merchant Frontend** must collect standard, non-fingerprint browser details, such as the **user agent** and the user's **IP** address. This data will be required for the subsequent Authentication request.
### Authentication - Challenge Flow
This is triggered by the cardholder confirming the payment. Unlike the frictionless flow, the challenge flow introduces a mandatory user interaction step that must be handled by the Merchant Frontend.
1. **Trigger Authentication:**
* **Action:** When the user clicks the "Pay" button, the **Merchant Frontend** collects and transmits all necessary data (card data, purchase info, and the browser data from Phase 1, Step 3) to the **Merchant Backend.**
2. **Call VGS Authenticate:**
* **Action:** The **Merchant Backend** sends the core transaction request to the VGS `/cards/{card_id}/3ds-authenticate endpoint`.
* **Data Required:** Include all collected data, transaction details (`purchase_info`), and set the type parameter to `challenge`.
* [Challenge API Spec](/cmp/developer-resources/api/3d-secure-3ds.md#threeds-challenge).
3. **Receive Challenge HTML:**
* **Action:** Instead of a final `status`, the Merchant Backend will receive an **Intermediate Response** (`status 'CHALLENGE_REQUIRED' or REJECTED`) containing the **Challenge HTML** (challengeHtml) and transaction IDs.
* **Backend Responsibility:** The **Merchant Backend** must relay this Challenge HTML directly to the **Merchant Frontend**.
4. **Display the Challenge Window:**
* **Action:** The **Merchant Frontend** must open a modal, pop-up, or dedicated iframe to display the received **Challenge HTML** to the cardholder.
* **User Interaction:** The cardholder interacts directly with the **Issuer ACS** interface inside this challenge window (e.g., entering an OTP or password).
* **Important - Rendering the Challenge HTML:**
* The `challengeHtml` returned by the VGS Authenticate API contains a redirect form generated by the issuer’s Access Control Server (ACS) and delivered through the 3DS server. This HTML initiates the cardholder challenge and must be rendered exactly as returned inside a browser context such as a modal, popup, or iframe.
* The ACS redirect page may behave differently depending on the issuer implementation. Two common behaviors are possible:
* The page displays a submit button that the cardholder must click to proceed to the issuer’s challenge screen.
* The page automatically submits the form using JavaScript, immediately redirecting the browser to the issuer challenge without requiring any user interaction. In the auto-submit case, the “click here to continue” button only appears if JavaScript is blocked.
* Both behaviors are valid and controlled entirely by the issuing bank. Your integration should not rely on the presence of a visible button or any specific UI elements within the challenge page.
* **Implementation requirements:** When rendering the challenge HTML:
* Treat the returned `challengeHtml` as opaque content and render it exactly as provided. Do not modify the form, scripts, or URLs contained within it.
* Render the HTML inside a browser-capable environment (for example, an iframe, modal, popup window, or webview) that allows JavaScript execution and form redirects.
* Allow the browser to follow any redirects initiated by the page.
* After the form is submitted (either manually or automatically), the browser is redirected to the issuer’s ACS where the authentication may take place. Depending on the issuer’s risk decision, the cardholder may be presented with a challenge (for example OTP, banking app approval, or biometric verification), or the issuer may immediately return a final authentication result.
* In some cases, the challenge UI may not appear even after the redirect. This can occur if the issuer makes a risk decision early in the authentication flow, or if there is a temporary technical issue with the ACS or a downstream service.
* The final authentication result is determined by the issuer and delivered asynchronously. Once the authentication process is completed, abandoned, or times out, you will receive the final status via the VGS `cmp_threeds.challenge_result` webhook. Alternatively, you may retrieve the current status using the `/3ds-check` endpoint.
5. **Handle Challenge Completion (Client-Side Listener):**
* **Action:** Once the user completes the challenge, the **Issuer ACS** redirects the browser within the frame to a VGS success/failure endpoint, which then passes the result to the Merchant’s pre-configured endpoint. The Merchant Frontend must have a listener or mechanism to detect when the challenge window closes or redirects.
6. **Receive Final Result (Asynchronous or Synchronous):**
* **Action:** The **Merchant Backend** will receive an **asynchronous webhook** with the final success/failure `status` of the challenge, or if the challenge was abandoned/timed out, a final synchronous result may be returned. The backend must be configured to accept and process this final result.
* **Key Data Received:** The final response contains the authentication `status` (e.g., `'APPROVED', 'UNABLE_TO_AUTHENTICATE'`), the cryptographic value (`cryptogram`), and `transaction_info`.
7. **Authorize Payment:**
1. **Action:** The Merchant Backend uses the received final `status` to determine the final risk decision. If the challenge was successful (status `APPROVED` or equivalent), the backend must use the provided `cryptogram` to submit the final payment authorization request to the payment processor.
{% hint style="info" %}
VGS does not currently return `messageVersion` in the `3ds-authenticate` or `3ds-check` responses. For PSPs that require the 3DS version to be provided explicitly in the authorization request, customers should **use `2.2.0`.** This applies to both challenge and data-only flows.
{% endhint %}
### **3DS Status Check**
The VGS 3DS Status Check endpoint provides the **most up-to-date status** of a transaction’s 3DS authentication and device-fingerprinting flow. Use `3ds-check` as the **primary source of truth** for determining the checkout outcome, including after a challenge is completed. Webhook delivery times are not guaranteed and may exceed the allowable time limit.
The endpoint will return HTTP 200 whenever a 3DS result is available for the supplied xid or merchant\_transaction\_id, including:
* Frictionless results for challenge flows
* Pending challenges with status CHALLENGE\_REQUIRED
* Available Data-Only/Data Share results
The endpoint will continue to return HTTP 404 when the supplied identifiers are incorrect or when no authentication result is available. Use the response `event` and `status` fields to determine the latest transaction status and outcome.
* **Endpoint to Check Initialize Device Fingerprint Status:** **`GET`** `/cards/{card_id}/3ds-check?`**`inti_received={true}`**`&xid={xid}&merchant_transaction_id={merchant_transaction_id}`
* **Endpoint to Check Authentication Status:** **`GET`** `/cards/{card_id}/3ds-check?xid={xid}&merchant_transaction_id={merchant_transaction_id}`
* **3DS Flow & Real-Time Status Retrieval**
* **3DS Flow Overview** – During a 3DS transaction, the customer may go through device fingerprinting or a challenge questionnaire as part of the authentication process.
* **Client Polling for Status** – While the transaction is in progress, the client polls the `/3ds-check` endpoint with the following parameters:
* `cardID`
* `xid`
* `merchant_transaction_id`
* `inti_received` (conditional)
* **Behavior based on `inti_received`**:
* **`inti_received=true`** – Returns device fingerprinting initialization status. Call this after the iframe from the synchronous initialize response is rendered and the form containing the iframe is submitted on the front end. This allows the issuer to collect the device fingerprinting.
* **`inti_received=false` or omitted** – Returns authentication status after the challenge questionnaire/html is submitted by the user.
* **Status Retrieval** – VGS responds with the most up-to-date status, enabling the merchant to take immediate next steps:
* Proceed to authorization
* Update internal transaction state
#### Using 3ds-check for completed challenges
* Once the user completes the challenge and returns to the configured `redirect_url`, call `3ds-check` to retrieve the final authentication result.
* `3ds-check` is the recommended and primary approach for completed challenges. Do not wait for a webhook before continuing the checkout flow.
#### Handling abandoned challenges
* Challenge flows involve human interaction, such as entering an OTP or approving a push notification. Because of this, issuers typically keep the challenge session open for **10 to 15 minutes** to allow the user time to complete it.
* If the user closes the challenge window or abandons the transaction, the issuer may not send a final timeout or failure result until the issuer-side session expires. `3ds-check` may return `HTTP 200` with `status: CHALLENGE_REQUIRED` while the challenge remains pending, or `HTTP 404` when no authentication result is available. Do not use the HTTP status code alone to determine the transaction outcome; inspect the response `event` and `status` fields.
* **Recommended approach:**
* Use `3ds-check` as the primary way to retrieve the current and final 3DS status.
* If you are rendering the returned challenge HTML in your own frontend container, implement a frontend listener to detect whether the user manually closes the challenge modal or iframe. If they do, you can immediately treat the transaction as canceled on your end without waiting for the checkout timeout or issuer-side timeout.
* Keep your own checkout timeout based on your UX needs. For example, if your current timeout is **5 minutes**, it is fine to keep that as-is. It does not need to match the issuer’s **10 to 15 minute** timeout.
* If your checkout session expires before the user returns through `redirect_url`, make one final call to `3ds-check`.
* If `3ds-check` returns `HTTP 200`, use the response `event` and `status` fields to determine whether the authentication is complete, pending, approved, or unsuccessful. A `CHALLENGE_REQUIRED` status means the challenge is still pending.
* If `3ds-check` returns `HTTP 404`, no authentication result is currently available. You may treat the transaction as expired based on your own checkout timeout, cancel the order, and release the cart or inventory.
* For Out-of-Band (OOB) flows, the cardholder may complete authentication in their banking app and not return to the browser. Once VGS receives the issuer result, it is available through `3ds-check` . In this case, call `3ds-check` while the checkout session remains active and once more before treating the session as expired or unsuccessful.
* Do not solely rely on webhooks for 3DS results. Webhook delivery times are not guaranteed and may exceed the allowable time limit. Use `3ds-check` as the primary way to retrieve the current and final status.
#### Best practice
* Use `3ds-check` as the primary source of truth for 3DS status and checkout completion.
* Call `3ds-check` after the redirect for completed challenges and once more before your checkout session expires.
* Use your own checkout timeout to handle sessions that are abandoned or remain unresolved.
#### Additional note
* When you see significantly later completion signals, those cases are typically due to the user abandoning the challenge, closing the challenge window, or taking longer to complete the issuer challenge. This is why implementing `3ds-check` is the recommended approach for handling these scenarios reliably.
#### Non-Payment Authentication (NPA) and Card-Add Flows
VGS 3DS currently supports standard Payment Authentication (PA) flows only. EMV 3DS 2.2 defines Non-Payment Authentication (NPA / `messageCategory: 02`) specifically for card-add and card-on-file enrollment use cases, but VGS does not currently expose NPA-specific indicators. NPA support is on the roadmap.
In the meantime, if you need to perform card verification or card-on-file enrollment that satisfies PSD2 SCA requirements, you can use the VGS PA flow as follows:
* Initiate the `/3ds-authenticate` call by passing a nominal verification amount in the `purchase_info` object — for example, `amount: 0` or `amount: 1.00` with the corresponding currency code (for example, `978` for EUR).
* The issuer will treat this as a standard payment authentication and may step up the user if additional verification is required. VGS will return a CAVV and ECI, which can then be passed into the verification authorization request sent to your PSP or acquirer.
* Because this runs through the standard PA flow, it uses standard Risk-Based Authentication (RBA). You will not be able to explicitly pass NPA-specific indicators such as "Add Card" or "Mandate Challenge." However, the resulting CAVV and ECI can be used as Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) evidence during card verification and card-on-file enrollment flows.
* Although the request is processed as a Payment Authentication rather than an NPA transaction, the returned authentication data can be used to satisfy PSD2 SCA requirements for card verification and card-on-file enrollment use cases.
**Note:** The CAVV generated during a PA flow is tied to that specific authentication event. If the customer later returns to make a new active purchase (CIT), a separate payment authentication should be performed for that transaction.
{% hint style="info" %}
VGS does not currently return `messageVersion` in the `3ds-authenticate` or `3ds-check` responses. For PSPs that require the 3DS version to be provided explicitly in the authorization request, customers should **use `2.2.0`.** This applies to both challenge and data-only flows.
{% endhint %}
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