PCI DSS stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard and it is imperative for all merchants who accept credit cards, whether small, medium or large, doing business either online or offline to be PCI compliant. Recognizing the vital importance of keeping your customer’s payment card data secure, the payment brands have collectively adopted PCI DSS as the requirement for organizations that process, store or transmit payment cardholder data. The size of a business determines the specific requirements needed and compliance of the standards is managed and enforced by the businesses payment processing company.
Being compliant with the Data Security Standards protects both businesses and card holders from potential threats of card holder information being stolen. Each business that accepts any one of the 5 payment types (American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB International, MasterCard Worldwide, and Visa Inc.) have set protection methods put in place that are mandated by the above payment companies as well as the PCI Council.
Electronic Payment Systems' (EPS) was actually one of the first payment processors to be compliant, even before it was an industry requirement. Due to increased security risks, today it is mandated for all payment processing companies to adhere to these standards. This in turn protects both the card holder and business from unknowingly being defrauded.
PCI DSS compliance is not a one-time event, it is an ongoing process. EPS continuously and vigorously assesses our operations, improves any vulnerabilities that are identified, and submits the required reports to both the acquiring bank and payment card brands you do business with on a daily basis.
The following web link is a perfect guide full of additional resources: https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org
If you have any questions regarding PCI compliance and your merchant account, contact EPS PCI Analyst Lorrinda Dyer at 800-863-5995 ext. 4207 or email ldyer@eps-na.com
