PCI DSS as a secure payment method

Do you know PCI DSS as a secure online payment method? 🤓 Did you know that adapting your company to PCI DSS payment brings great additional benefits such as increased sales? ✅ We tell you all about it below.✌Read on!

When making an online payment, customers need assurance that it is a secure payment method and that the company will keep their data safe, whether they are paying by credit card or debit card.

To meet this need, technology has evolved to provide companies with the tools they need to meet the needs of their customers.

This will result in increased productivity and sales by offering a secure payment method such as PCI DSS.

There are more and more companies, SMEs and large enterprises that offer the PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Ssecurity Sstandard, i.e. Data Security Standard for the Payment Card Industry) as a secure means of payment. But, … what is the PCI DSS or PCI regulation?  

“It is a security standard that is responsible for processing, storing and/or transmitting customer credit or debit card data, securing such data to prevent fraud.”

For all companies offering the PCI DSS standard, it is mandatory to protect any information susceptible to payment card theft or fraud.

All the major payment card brands (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and JCB) implemented it as a separate body.

The benefits of implementing this system to maintain customer card security are worth considering. Especially, when we are in a state of alarm as with COVID-19, which has led to an increase in online purchases.

Now, we are going to focus on knowing the requirements that a company must meet and the benefits and advantages that they provide them.  

What does the PCI regulation require of companies?

The PCI DSS regulation establishes a set of rules or requirements that companies must follow in order to maintain the security of card data used to make online payments and they are:

• Install a firewall to protect customer payment card data.
• Do not use as system security passwords the ones predetermined by the supplier.
• Protect the stored data of customers’ credit and/or debit cards used to make the online payment.
• To provide encryption of card data and confidential information transmitted.
• Update on a regular basis and use software antivirus.
• Availability of secure systems and/or applications for online payment.
• Assign each person with access to the information it gives a unique ID.
• Prohibit physical access to the data.
• Scan access to card customer data.
• Check the security systems and processes.
• Have a security policy for data and information provided online.
• …

It is mandatory for every company, regardless of size, to comply with the established requirements, which also entails the completion of the following steps:

• Determine the type of self-assessment questionnaire (Self-Assessment Questionnaire or SAQ) that best suits the characteristics of your company to use.
• Fill in the questionnaire by following the instructions.
• Submit the questionnaire to an Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV) and be assured that you have passed.
• Deliver the completed self-assessment questionnaire and the scan result along with the requested documents to your acquirer.

Which tools support the use of the PCI DSS?

As we mentioned at the beginning, technology has evolved greatly in recent years, especially in aspects related to online payment. Exactly, it was in 2006 when a basic standard was created to maintain the security of customers’ payment card data.

Today, this secure payment method, thanks to artificial intelligence, has been renewed and offers customers a service with the same features, but with greater security when processing the data provided.

This online payment service while maintaining the security of credit or debit card data can be done by voice through cell phones or tablet.

It is possible thanks to tools available in the market such as virtual assistants.

At GESDITEL we care about the security of your company’s and your customers’ data. That is why we have created ANIA, a virtual assistant with artificial intelligence capable of managing online payments securely by voice.

But, always complying with PCI DSS regulations. In addition, it can be integrated with any payment gateway (Redsys, Paypal, Stripe, commercial global payments, …) keeping customer information secure.

And, all this, without the need to store this information in databases and without having to be managed directly by company personnel. Its main objective is to offload to companies that use an online payment method with which they control all customer card data.

Thus, the cardholder only has to enter the requested data to make the payment in a field that will be generated directly on our PCI DSS validated servers.

The result is a high level of security when paying online with both credit and debit cards, guaranteeing a secure payment and, above all, maintaining the confidentiality of the transaction.

It also prevents the impersonation of accounts and/or persons, avoids fraud, maintains customer confidence, and reduces the risk of unauthorized persons accessing customer account information.  

What are the advantages of PCI compliance?

We are aware of the difficulty of maintaining and complying with PCI compliance, and that most companies only do so at the explicit request of their bank.

But, … did you know that adapting your company to the PCI DSS payment brings great additional benefits? The most important ones are:

• Security. They are secure systems and generate in customers a high level of trust towards the company by guaranteeing the protection of the card data existing in it.
• Brand image. Proper PCI compliance increases customer confidence. And, therefore, it enhances the company’s brand image by conveying concern for the security of their most sensitive data.
• Business strategy. It offers a great competitive advantage over competitors who do not use this secure payment method when attracting new customers.
• Business monitoring and control. The monitoring of the company’s environment allows to verify the correct compliance with regulations such as: change management, audit trail review, periodic technical security reviews, …
• New risk management. Avoid existing potential threats and vulnerability, allowing to take measures against them.
• Security climate. In the case of delegating these controls to employees, they must be made aware of the importance of protecting card data.
• Supplier control. Outsourcing the control of this service must guarantee that the level of security will not be reduced.
• Incident management. A correct identification of incidents in their initial stages will allow us to minimize the damage caused to the company.
• …

They also provide advantages such as: a positive return on investment (ROI) and increased customer confidence, which results in increased sales and profits for the company.

At Gesditel, we put at your disposal our virtual assistant that, thanks to its artificial intelligence, is able to make online payments to manage customer purchases with total security.

In addition, you will be able to enjoy all the benefits and advantages provided by its correct application. Also, you will be able to increase your company’s sales. And, of course, it will adapt to the needs and characteristics of your company for greater efficiency and service quality.

If you are interested in enjoying a secure payment method such as PCI DSS and all its benefits, do not hesitate to contact us, we will assist you without obligation. We hope we have been of great help.