; and (ii) engages in sales or service to retail food stores with respect to point-of-sale equipment necessary for electronic benefit transfer transaction processing. (B) The term third-party processor means an entity, including a retail food store operating its own point-of-sale terminals, that is capable of routing electronic transfer benefit transactions for authorization. (C) The term web service provider means an entity that operates a generic online purchasing website that can be customized for online electronic benefit transfer transactions for authorized retail food stores. (2) In general Subject to paragraph (5), the Secretary shall establish a national gateway for the purpose of routing all supplemental nutrition assistance program benefit transfer transactions (in this subsection referred to as transactions unless the context specifies otherwise) to the appropriate benefit issuers for purposes of transaction validation and settlement. (3) Requirements to route transactions The Secretary shall— (A) ensure that protections regarding privacy, security, ease of use, and access relating to supplemental nutrition assistance benefits are maintained for benefit recipients and retail food stores; (B) ensure redundancy for processing of transactions; (C) ensure real-time monitoring of transactions; (D) ensure that all entities that connect to such gateway, and all others that connect to such entities, meet and follow transaction messaging standards, and other requirements, established by the Secretary; (E) ensure the security of transactions by using the most effective technology available that the Secretary considers to be appropriate and cost-effective