As technology continues to rapidly evolve and expand, threats to personal and business information are similarly on the rise. Protecting the constant flow and growth of data presents new challenges that require adherence to compliance standards and new security technologies. No one knows this better than industry expert Datapipe (News - Alert), whose Chief Security Officer, Joel Friedman, discussed in more detail in a recent company whitepaper.

The payment card industry data security standard (PCI (News - Alert) DSS) is a major area the credit industry must contend with in an increasingly complex manner. PCI DSS is an evolving set of security requirements specifically designed for the storage, process or transmitting of cardholder data that businesses even outside the payment card industry are deploying to meet a range of industry requirements.

In the interview, Friedman discussed both the present and future state of security compliance, as well as how Datapipe is positioned to address PCI issues. First and foremost, not all PCI hosting service providers are created equal.

“Some hosting providers claim to deliver PCI compliance simply by offering certified remote scans, when in fact PCI is far more in-depth,” Friedman explained. “When choosing a provider, you should first make sure the provider is listed on Visa’s site. Next, carefully examine how the provider intends to meet each requirement. A promise won’t protect your cardholder data, only expertly implemented security controls will.”

 For example, as a Visa certified Level 1 service provider, Datapipe’s PCI solution offers high-performance security services including the following:

• Patch management
• Intrusion (News - Alert) Detection Systems (IDS)
• Anti-malware protection
• Vulnerability assessment
• Real-time system configuration assessment
• Transparent Database Encryption (TDE)

Additionally, Datapipe is part of the Security Standards Council, which currently governs PCI DSS compliance.

“As a member of the council, Datapipe has the unique opportunity to contribute to future revisions to ensure security controls appropriately address the hosting environment,” Friedman added.

Organizations that fail to protect their consumer credit card data face serious repercussions including lawsuits and fines, but outsourcing the right provider allows businesses to achieve and maintain compliance while controlling costs.

Before looking for a PCI DSS service provider, check out Datapipe’s checklist.

Friedman also hinted that in the near future, there will be a need to bring security standard to other forms of data, saying, “Where there is money to be made by trafficking stolen data, attackers will follow. With ever increasing amounts of information becoming digitized each year, the need for strict security standards for all forms of sensitive data is critical to the integrity of modern business.”

To learn more about Datapipe’s Level 1 PCI DSS solution, click here.

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