November 28, 2011 11:05 AM Eastern Time
Company joins an elite group of service providers certified to provide QSA services throughout North America
“The importance of stringent standards for the secure handling of cardholder data cannot be underestimated, this is something that affects all of us”
Structured is a longtime provider of data security auditing and PCI readiness services to enterprises and service providers. With this certification, the company now offers a complete suite of services—from PCI readiness to final on-site data security assessment—to guide businesses through the complicated process of achieving PCI Data Security Standard (DSS) compliance.
Structured will work with the PCI Council to achieve and improve payment data security worldwide through the ongoing development of the PCI Security Standards, including the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), PINTransaction Security (PTS) requirements and the Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS).
Fraud and identity theft are on the rise, stemming mostly from stolen credit card data. “The Leaking Vault 2011,” a study conducted by the Digital Forensics Association, found that between 2005 and 2010, more than 800 million known records were disclosed—an average of 388,000 records per day, every single day of the past six years—at an estimated cost for these breaches of more than $156 billion to the organizations experiencing these incidents.
The PCI Security Standards Council has developed robust and comprehensive standards to enhance payment card data security, but a recent Verizon Payment Card Industry Compliance Report shows that only 21 percent of organizations were fully compliant at the time of their initial report on compliance (IROC). Many companies and web site operators that accept credit cards need help setting up their systems to comply with the complex standards and keep customer information secure.
“In an era of increasingly sophisticated attacks on systems, adhering to the PCI DSS represents an entity’s best protection against network security threats and data breaches,” said Bob Russo, general manager of the PCI Security Standards Council. “By joining as a Participating Organization, Structured demonstrates they are playing an active part in mitigating the threats and improving the security of the payment chain globally by driving the security standards to higher levels of adoption and strength.”
Brad Pierce, CISSP, manager of Stuctured's Security Services Consulting Group, has been individually certified by the PCI Council and will be leading the integration of PCI services into Structured's existing security services offerings.
“The importance of stringent standards for the secure handling of cardholder data cannot be underestimated, this is something that affects all of us,” said Pierce. “The team at Structured has worked hard to provide our customers with the security expertise they need to meet the requirements of an ever expanding regulatory and certification environment. Structured is committed to helping customers ensure the protection of cardholder data and personally identifiable information.”
About Structured
Structured is a leading technology services and consulting company that has partnered with hundreds of clients throughout the U.S. to maximize the value of information technology (IT). For two decades, Structured consultants have collaborated with CIOs and IT departments to develop and implement technology strategies that drive measureable improvements throughout the organization.
Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Portland Oregon, Structured has offices throughout the U.S. and services a global clientele. For more information, visithttp://www.structured.com or call (800) 881-0962.
About the PCI Security Standards Council
The PCI Security Standards Council is an open, global forum that is responsible for the development, management, education and awareness of the PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and other standards that increase payment data security. Founded in 2006 by the major payment card brands American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB International, MasterCard Worldwide and Visa Inc., the Council has more than 600 Participating Organizations representing merchants, banks, processors and vendors worldwide. To learn more about playing a part in securing payment card data globally, please visit: pcisecuritystandards.org.
