PCI Compliance – Is Your Business Compliant?
What is PCI Compliance?
PCI Compliance, or Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliance, is a set of security standards designed to ensure that all companies that accept, process, store, or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment. The primary goal is to protect sensitive cardholder data and reduce the risk of data breaches and fraud.
In 2006, payment card networks worked together to form the Payment Cards Security Standards Council and set 12 security standards for all businesses that accept debit or credit cards. These standards were put in place to protect both the business and consumers from cyber-attacks and the theft of their sensitive, private information. Payment card networks and payment processors enforce PCI standards, leaving every business owner responsible to ensure they are following all 12 requirements. Compliance with PCI DSS is typically required for any business that accepts credit card payments. These requirements are not enforced by law, but instead are typical terms of the contract business owners sign with the payment card company. The level of compliance required may vary based on the number of transactions a business processes and other factors. Non-compliance can result in fines, increased transaction fees, or even the loss of the ability to process credit card transactions.
It’s important to note that achieving and maintaining PCI compliance is an ongoing process, and businesses are encouraged to regularly assess their security measures and update them to address evolving threats and vulnerabilities. Additionally, businesses often undergo PCI DSS assessments, either self-assessments or third-party assessments, to demonstrate compliance.
What are the Requirements?
- Have a functioning firewall.
- Cardholder data must be encrypted when transmitting it across public networks.
- Change your password and security settings from the default.
- Restrict physical access to cardholder data.
- Dispose of data, limit what data is stored, and avoiding storing certain types of data.
- Use and update antivirus software.
- Plan how to find and take action on vulnerabilities regularly.
- Assign user IDs to everybody with computer access.
- Track and monitor who accesses networks and cardholder data.
- Have a policy on information security.
- Regularly test systems and processes
- Restrict access to cardholder data to a need-to-know basis.
How can you become PCI Compliant?
With the recent launch of MosaicEdge® Pro for our business customers, we are excited to present an upgraded option to help small business owners follow PCI standards while providing even more customization to tailor your internet experience to the needs of your business. Here are just a handful of the features MosaicEdge® Pro offers to make running your business a little easier:
- Built-in security threat detection and blocking.
- Fast and easy network name and password changes.
- Dedicated POS network to ensure your card readers are safe and secure from other devices.
- Separate business, staff, and guest networks for multiple layers of device and user isolation.
- Automatic connection backup to keep your business up and running during an outage.
- Easy to customize Wi-Fi login splash page for guests.
- App for customization of each Wi-Fi network and managing how staff and guests use it.
MosaicEdge® Pro offers customers a way to bridge the gap between the small town feel that many customers love while still having that big business capabilities that make life easier for our customers.
At just $20 a month, you can protect yourself from thousands of dollars in fines that could come with non-compliance. For more information on this new and exciting solution, please reach out to us at (715) 458-5400 or visit our website at https://ExperienceMosaic.com/MosaicEdge-Pro/.
References
https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/small-business/pci-compliance
PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) Website: PCI Security Standards Council
PCI DSS Documentation: PCI DSS Documentation
PCI Compliance Guide: PCI Compliance Guide
PCI SSC Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): PCI SSC FAQ
PCI SSC Glossary of Terms: PCI SSC Glossary
This list of requirements is not exhaustive, as they are always changing. Please refer to https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/ for the most up-to-date, official requirements.
Learn more about our new small business network solution.
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October 4, 2024
October 4, 2024