Fully Integrated Solution - Flash Transcript

Due to an alarming increase in cardholder data breaches, all businesses that accept credit cards must comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), a recent set of standards created by the major credit card companies. Failure to comply will result in heavy fines, restrictions or permanent expulsion of credit card acceptance programs.

Now a simple upgrade delivers a fully integrated solution that allows businesses to comply with PCI DSS and protects them from the inherent risks and liabilities associated with processing, transmitting or storing financial data.

Please take a few moments to review this important security upgrade.

Legacy based, non-integrated, stand alone terminals have many flaws. These proprietary systems are inefficient and complex and require a download of distributed software to operate and maintain. Since these point of sale devices must be accessed separately from the register, they are prone to unreliable accounting and human data entry errors. They generate separate receipts, take undue time and slow the payment process. Most critically, these terminals expose personal financial information by sending data over public switched telephone networks. This device violates PCI DSS security requirements number four. Encrypt the transmission of cardholder data across open, public networks.

The next step in the evolution of electronic payment processing was the semi-integrated system. This primitive attempt at integration only sends purchase total information from the register to the terminal. It solves the problem of duplicate data entry; however, the inefficiency, complexity and lack of security of standalone terminals still remain unanswered.

The next iteration of electronic payment processing was the multi-integrated system. This system replaced the standalone terminal with third-party distributed software. Third-party software adds additional costs and acts as a middleman translating and transmitting purchase data from the point of sale to the payment processor. Although this system addressed nearly every concern related to the standalone terminal, multiple means of integration means multiple points of failure.

Multi-integrated systems, because they contain middleman software, must be frequently updated to maintain compatibility with existing software applications, payment processor enhancements or operating system upgrades. Change, combined with multiple points of failure, inevitably results in disputes of who is to blame—the endpoints or the middle man. Resolving these complex problems and disputes proves to be both time consuming and costly. Most importantly, data security is still in question. Merchants may be unwittingly storing sensitive financial data, leaving them exposed to unlimited liability and expensive litigation.

Finally, recent advancements in technology have made possible the advent of a fully integrated system. This system translates and transmits purchase data directly from the point of sale to the payment processor thus eliminating the middle man and all third-party software expense. Most importantly, data security is no longer in question.

Fully integrated solutions allow businesses to easily comply with PCI DSS and protect them from the inherent risks and liabilities associated with processing, transmitting or storing financial data.

To learn more about updating your system to a cost-effective, fully integrated PCI DSS compliant solution, please click here.