3-D Secure (3DS) is an anti-fraud protocol developed by Visa and Mastercard. It adds an authentication step during online card payments to verify the cardholder’s identity before the merchant submits the authorization request.
Understanding 3DS statuses helps determine how a payment is handled and who is liable in case of a fraud-related chargeback.
3DS Statuses and What They Mean
3DS Status | Description |
3DS | The payment was fully authenticated. The cardholder was successfully verified. Liability for fraud-related chargebacks shifts to the issuer. |
3DS Failed | Authentication failed. This can happen if the cardholder entered the wrong password or has disabled 3DS. The payment is declined. |
3DS Attempted | The merchant tried to authenticate the cardholder, but could not complete the process. This may occur if the cardholder or issuer is not enrolled in 3DS or if the issuer's authentication server did not respond. Liability shifts to the issuer. |
No 3DS | Authentication was not performed due to a system issue. The payment is processed without 3DS. Liability remains with the merchant. |