Merchants get a helping hand to comply with PCI DSS

Although today's merchants are conscious of the need to ensure high levels of security, which prevent compromising cardholder information that is captured by merchants in the payment process, many lack the tools to ensure they satisfy or exceed industry requirements.

That situation is now being redressed: MasterCard has contracted Trustwave, a leading provider of on-demand and subscription-based information security and compliance management solutions, to offer free, comprehensive compliance validation services in accordance with the PCI DSS requirements and MasterCard's Site Data Protection (SDP) program.

The free services the company will provide include:
• Evaluation of the merchants self assessment questions (SAQ) through the company's online compliance management portal, Trustkeeper;
• Four quarterly vulnerability scans for up to six external facing IP addresses;
• Up to four directed vulnerability scans for merchants at their request;
• Results of the evaluation of the SAQ and vulnerability scans;
• Remediation guidance to achieve compliance with the PCI DSS requirements;
• Help Desk Technical Support as well as 24 x 7 Emergency Response Support for merchants.

By participating, merchants will have the tools to validate compliance with the PCI DSS requirements.

Eddie Grobler, senior vice president & general manager, Africa, MasterCard Worldwide, said; “We have always taken an active role in protecting cardholder data. Every party that handles payment card information has an obligation to comply with PCI DSS.

“This offer with Trustwave simplifies the compliance validation process for merchants and strengthens data security across the payment value chain,” he concludes.