PCI DSS Compliance for Merchants

Why should you, as a merchant, comply with the PCI Security Standards?

The PCI Security Standards Council offers robust and comprehensive standards and supporting materials to enhance payment card data security. These materials include a framework of specifications, tools, measurements and support resources to help organizations ensure the safe handling of cardholder information at every step. The keystone is the PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), which provides an actionable framework for developing a robust payment card data security process -- including prevention, detection and appropriate reaction to security incidents.

At first glance, especially if you are a smaller organization, it may seem like a lot of effort, and confusing to boot. But not only is compliance becoming increasingly important, it may not be the headache you expected.

Compliance with data security standards can bring major benefits to businesses of all sizes, while failure to comply can have serious and long-term negative consequences.

What every Merchant must know about PCI DSS compliance:

Misconception

Utilizing PCI Compliant hardware and/or software satisfies your PCI compliance mandate.

The Rules

PCI DSS follows common sense steps that mirror best security practices. PCI DSS applies to all entities that store, process or transmit cardholder data. PCI DSS and related security standards are administered by the PCI Security Standards Council, which was founded by American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB International, MasterCard Worldwide and Visa Inc. If you are a merchant, it is your responsibility to secure cardholder data to meet Payment Card Industry rules.

1. Small to mid-size merchants are prime targets for data thieves. It's your job to protect cardholder data at the point-of-sale.
2. If cardholder data is stolen - and it's your fault - you could incur fines, penalties, even termination of the right to accept payment cards!
3. Click here (Link to PCI DSS QRG V 2.0) for a Quick Reference Guide that helps you understand the Data Security Standard for merchants.

Solution

Versatalis offers a unique set of solutions with the common objective of reducing the exposure of data breaches for our merchants. The utilization of a PCI Compliant payment application is simply the first step. Following are the specific functions we provide our customers:

1. If you are working with one of our Strategic Partners and utilizing the integrated payment functionality, you already know that Versatalis works with our Software Vendors to eliminate all elements of cardholder data in the payment application. This also eliminates all cardholder data from your processing environment and significantly reduces your exposure to data security breaches, as well as simplifying your PCI DSS mandate. If your application does not do this, please contact your software provider for the updated payment application and hardware required to meet these improved standards.
2. If you use a stand-alone terminal for all of your credit card transactions, chances are, your already taking advantage of the increased date security of point to point encryption of card data and eliminating all card holder data from your processing environment. If you are unsure, or need to upgrade, please contact your sales representative for a complete list of hardware options.

Preventing data breaches is more about business best practices than anything else. Versatalis is committed to delivering the best available data security plan for all of our Software Developers, Franchise organizations and merchants.