PCI Scanning

You have probably heard about PCI scanning, but are not entirely sure what it is, or if it is something that you need. I put together this article in hopes to answer some questions you might have. First, PCI stands for Payment Card Industry. The PCI council consists of five major credit card companies. They created a set of security standards, known as PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards) in order to make certain that there is uniformity in businesses when credit card processing is involved.

If you are a business or website that accepts credit cards you must verify PCI compliance at least yearly. In order for a business to be considered PCI compliant, system security scans, otherwise known as PCI scans, are also required.

You may be wondering what PCI scanning is. It's when your website is scanned by an ASV (Approved Scanning Vendor) to check for any vulnerabilities. All PCI scans should be performed by a third party scanning vendor that is compliant. The scanning typically involves scanning your websites IP address, but if you use a third party shopping cart, then you will need to include their IP address to be scanned also. PCI scanning is especially important because if anyone gets a hold of your customer's information, you could be held responsible.

As of January 1, 2009, Trust Guard will begin offering PCI scanning. They are a good company that I found to be very affordable, and they especially accommodate smaller businesses. Trust Guard not only offers PCI scanning, but also offers security and privacy trust seals. For more information visit trust-guard.com.

I hope this article has provided some answers to questions you have had about PCI scanning. Most of all, you need to remember that although PCI scanning and compliance can be a bit confusing, it is very important. Make sure to take the time and effort needed to be sure your website is PCI compliant and not only will you be protecting your business, but most likely you will notice a boost in sales as customers will trust your site.