What does PCI compliance mean?
The full acronym is "PCI-DSS" and it stands for Payment Card Industry - Data Security Standards. It's a group of rules and regulations that merchants must follow to keep credit card data secure.
PCI compliance is a living set of regulations and rules, created and enforced by the card-associations. The goal of PCI compliance is to ensure that merchants are engaging in safe and secure behaviors when dealing with sensitive credit card data. Because technology shifts so quickly and new hardware/software solutions are brought to market so often, PCI regulations are updated on an ongoing basis, to ensure that they remain effective and relevant.
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PCI compliance is comprised, at a minimum, of an annual questionnaire that all merchants are required to complete. This questionnaire will ask questions designed to determine if your internal processes and procedures are meeting current regulations and security requirements. Most merchants pass on the first attempt, but some merchants may have to attest to making some changes - adding security to their network, changing employee policies, purchasing new equipment, etc. Depending on how you process, additional steps may be required as well. Commonly, merchants will be required to complete a "web scan" - this is an online scan of your internal network, to ensure that it doesn't have any holes/flaws that a fraudster could exploit. These are typically required quarterly. Avoid these scans by using a P2PE solution like the PAX a80 smart terminal.
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Part of our job as your provider is to help you manage PCI compliance. Built into our monthly fee you'll have access to a PCI portal where you can complete your questionnaire and get the help you need. We're here to help with complex setups, or unusual PCI needs.
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