Customers at the Serious Texas Bar-B-Q restaurant were subjected to debit card fraud from a nationwide security breach earlier this year. Around 200 to 300 customers got their card information stolen from one of the four restaurant locations due to a breach in the credit-card payment system.
Serious Texas Bar-B-Q has assured guests that the problem was immediately fixed and they were not at fault, but unfortunately if the restaurant had maintained PCI compliance and implemented additional security services, it would have minimized the risk to the brand and its customers.
A solution such as SecureConnect not only protects your business and reputation but can also save owners the devastating costs associated with a data breach that can reach up to over a million dollars and ultimately harm a business and its future growth. SecureConnect is a full-service solution that offers PCI compliance, numerous security features and piece of mind to merchants at a fixed monthly rate.
As breaches like this happen to businesses similar to yours, it is imperative to not only take notice but to take action. To learn more about SecureConnect and receive a free PCI consultation, contact us today!
These days, credit card security is something that never fails to attract a lot of attention in the media. There’s definitely a good reason for that: without good credit card security, very sensitive financial information can fall into the wrong hands.
In fact, when customers choose to spend money at a specific business, they are doing so with the implicit understanding that they are in good hands. So this means when there is a security breach and financial information gets exposed, it can really ruin a company’s reputation.
However, it doesn’t have to be that way when you focus on adjusting your current credit card security to a perpetually changing world. What this really means in a production environment is always staying one step ahead of the cybercriminals and other unsavory types that would compromise a system in order to get this precious data.
You can do that by boning up on all the security practices and fresh security news, but it’s easier to just hire an external security company that is already well versed in such things. An outsourced security company will make sure that you have the best security information available, but you’ll need to get started today to lock in such great benefits!
PCI compliance is something that many businesses of all sizes struggle with — it truly is one of the most important set of requirements to follow when it comes to processing customer financial information. For high transaction businesses, managing PCI requirements can become even more of a headache. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be this way at all. It is quite possible to achieve PCI requirements effortlessly without taking away from the core business objectives you have to focus on first and foremost.
The key to achieving PCI requirements effortlessly is to start with security as a high priority. Since the underlying goal of PCI compliance is to protect consumer data, the best place to start is making sure that your network is completely secure from top to bottom.
Naturally, this is not a one-time process, but something that will have to become an ongoing routine for you and your organization. If you’re not sure where to begin, you may want to stop and get a free vulnerability assessment from a PCI Approved Scanning Vendor that can work with you to close any open problems and help you achieve as well as maintain PCI requirements. We can provide you with a free vulnerability scan - contact us today!
Given that security is a 24/7 task, you will want to make sure you get started today in order to get a truly secure system!
As merchants continue to struggle with the complexities of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), the PCI Security Standards Council (SSC) has released a video to simplify its message about PCI requirements. The video focuses on the basic concepts of all 12 requirements, using humor and imagery to keep viewers’ attention. Characters in the video such as “Anti-Virus” and a big bad wolf help illustrate the proper measures needed to secure a business and achieve compliance.
Build and Maintain a Secure Network
Requirement 1: Install and maintain a firewall configuration to protect cardholder data.
Requirement 2: Do not use vendor-supplied defaults for system passwords and other security parameters.
Protect Cardholder Data
Requirement 3: Protect stored cardholder data.
Requirement 4: Encrypt transmission of cardholder data across open, public networks.
Maintain a Vulnerability Management Program
Requirement 5: Use and regularly update anti-virus software.
Requirement 6: Develop and maintain secure systems and applications.
Implement Strong Access Control Measures
Requirement 7: Restrict access to cardholder data by business need-to-know.
Requirement 8: Assign a unique ID to each person with computer access.
Requirement 9: Restrict physical access to cardholder data.
Regularly Monitor and Test Networks
Requirement 10: Track and monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data.
Requirement 11: Regularly test security systems and processes.
Maintain an Information Security Policy
Requirement 12: Maintain a policy that addresses information security.
Achieving PCI compliance is a complex process based on these 12 requirements. If you have questions, please contact us for a free PCI consultation! We can help you secure your business and become compliant with our comprehensive SecureConnect® solution.
After recently learning of a security breach within its system, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts issued an open letter to customers regarding the incident. The hotel brand disclosed that potentially exposed information includes guest and/or cardholder names and card numbers, expiration dates and other data from the card’s magnetic stripe.
Research from the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s PCI Primer1 reveals that upwards of 55% of credit card fraud comes from the hospitality industry. As breaches like this one at Wyndham continue to occur, it has become clear that the industry is lacking in both network security and compliance with the PCI DSS.
Wyndham has assured guests that the hack was immediately terminated and disabled and changes are already being implemented to strengthen and improve security. Unfortunately, if the hotel brand had implemented these measures in a proactive manner, they most likely would not be in this situation. Protecting your business before a breach is much more cost effective and can minimize the chances of a hacker infiltrating internal network connections as one did in this case.
The open letter released by Wyndham further outlines the incident and provides resources to guests looking for more information.
No brand wants to deal with the consequences of a breach; therefore, it is vital that you take a proactive approach to network security and PCI compliance. We encourage you to contact us for a free PCI consultation.
After recently learning of a security breach within its system, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts issued an open letter to customers regarding the incident. The hotel brand disclosed that potentially exposed information includes guest and/or cardholder names and card numbers, expiration dates and other data from the card’s magnetic stripe.
