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PCI Compliance Standards Protect Your Customers

By Kate Bailey


We are in the midst of a 'shop online' trend explosion. Internet retailers are continuously reinventing how we [customers] shop online. Whether it's via our mobile devices, PCs, or in-store kiosks, there is a myriad of new options for transacting business that carry both positive and negative implications for the consumer and the retailers themselves. We need to know that our online stores are following the pci compliance standards.

What Is PCI Compliance? PCI (Payment Card Industry) compliance entails following the standards set forth by the industry. This is mandatory for all merchants that process, transmit, or store any cardholder data. If you accept payment through any form of payment card, then you are held responsible for becoming and remaining compliant. Whether you conduct business over the phone or in the mail, in store, or online, you still qualify as a merchant and are accountable to the industry standards. All credit card brands support the standard, including: Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express. To show your compliance as a business, you must possess a secure collection of customer data that is tamper-proof and ready for analysis. You also need to prove that data protection controls are in use, and that you have an auto-alert system that continually monitors access and usage of data.

Level 1: Your company has over 6 million Visa and/or Mastercard transactions processed per year. This level requires yearly on-site reviews by an internal auditor, and a network scan by an approved scanning vendor (ASV). Level 2: You have 1 million to 6 million Visa and/or Mastercard transactions processed per year. You must complete a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) annually, and this level requires a network scan with an approved scanning vendor.

Level 3: Your company has 20,000 to 1 million Visa and/or Mastercard e-commerce transactions processed per year. You must complete a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) annually, and this level also requires a network scan with an approved scanning vendor. Level 4: You have less than 20,000 Visa and/or Mastercard e-commerce transactions processed per year. Must complete a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) annually, and requires a network scan with an approved scanning vendor.

Aside from escaping monetary losses, there are numerous advantages to keeping your business compliant. Improving organizational security will help fend off hackers so that you can rest assured that cardholders' information is safe from harm. This will help build up your customer base, as happy and confident shoppers turn into repeat customers. Your overall brand image will be positive, showing your company as a responsible and productive member in the market that not only adheres to but also promotes PCI compliance. Business partners and investors will become confident in your capabilities as a company, and you will sleep more soundly at night knowing that you are doing everything in your power to protect your firm.




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