The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is designed to help prevent credit card fraud and hacking, and to address related security vulnerabilities and threats. Requirements are stringent.

Every organization that processes credit card data is required to comply with PCI DSS - however small or large the business.

And compliance means that your customers' credit card data are secure: That makes you a trustworthy and dependable vendor - the type that stays in business.

Penalties for failure to comply with PCI standards or to rectify a security issue include prohibition from participation in Visa programs, in addition to fines of $50,000 (minimum) upwards.

The penalties are acute. And compliance means the risk of PCI DSS penalties are gone.

PCI-DSS requirements include the development and maintenance of policies and procedures to ensure security of data, as well as the use of protective network architecture and software.

At Brainlink, we take our lead from Raj Goel, our CEO: a nationally recognized expert on information security. Brainlink technicians are experts on all areas of information security.

The Twelve Basic Requirements include

1. Install and maintain a firewall configuration to protect data
2. Do not use vendor-supplied defaults for system passwords and other security parameters
3. Protect stored data
4. Encrypt transmission of cardholder data and sensitive information across public networks
5. Use and regularly update anti-virus software
6. Develop and maintain secure systems and applications
7. Restrict access to data by business need-to-know
8. Assign a unique ID to each person with computer access
9. Restrict physical access to cardholder data
10. Tract and monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data
11. Regularly test security systems and processes
12. Maintain a policy that addresses information security