Data Security Through PCI Compliance

Data security is a crucial component of the modern business environment. Personal information has become a very valuable commodity, targeted by hackers and thieves, and, more an more, tightly guarded by consumers. PCI compliance is required by the major credit card companies of every merchant who processes, stores, or transmits this sensitive data, but adhering to the standards of the PCI DSS is the best way to increase data security and customer loyalty.

The PCI DSS consists of 12 different requirements, which can be further divided into more than 200 different security controls. This can be a daunting task for companies that don't have the time and resources necessary for PCI compliance. There are, however, ways and means to secure sensitive data that will ensure safety and develop your compliance strategy.

There are options for PCI compliance that merchants can use to protect their sensitive data. Some of them are part of the PCI DSS, while others are options to help reach compliance through other means.

The first thing that must be considered for data security is what information is absolutely necessary to keep. Many problems have occurred - many breaches that have happened - were big problems because those companies were holding onto important information that should have been purged long before. PCI compliance forbids the storage of certain information, though other information can be kept (for legal or record keeping purposes) but must be carefully guarded.

If you have decided to keep some information, there are certain things you must do to maintain data security. The first thing is to make sure that all information is collected on a centralized location. If certain data is scattered throughout a network, it becomes easy to misplace and difficult to defend.

Now how do you defend that centralized location? Proactively. There are passwords. That's standard. But they have to be strong passwords. This means not the standardized passwords that may have come with your security system. This also means no birthdays and no other passwords with similar "meaning." These passwords must also be regularly changed. By doing so, you not only ensure a strong defense, but you also make certain that any passwords that may find their way into the wrong hands won't do them much good for long.

These steps are all part of PCI compliance, but not necessarily the easiest things to maintain or employ in-house.

For that reason, another option has become popular recently. Remote storage of credit card data is a good choice for companies who don't want to risk even the chance of a security breach.

Remote storage systems work off the basic premise that a hacker cannot steal what you don't have. So why even take the risk of storing information retained for legal or record keeping purposes when you could simply store all this extra data off-site just as easily?

All this, of course, hinges on how safe that off-site storage area is. If you are looking to outsource your payment processing needs to another company, this company must already have reached PCI compliance and be able to dedicate time and resources to maintaining that compliance. They also need to be able to install their systems quickly and seamlessly, so you can take advantage of remote storage benefits without having to deal with major interruptions to your usual business practices. After all, if your solution causes more problems than it solves, it isn't much of a solution at all.

In the end, PCI compliance in this modern business environment is all about data security - in other words, creating a safe environment where your consumers can feel confident about their transactions.

Andy Eliason is a writer at Main10, Inc. If you'd like to learn more about PCI compliance, or how to increase data security, visit Braintree Payment Solutions today.