Safeguarding Your Operations and Reputation

By: Brett Stoddard, Chief Operating Officer at One Step Tech

Ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations is paramount for retail business owners. Compliance protects you from legal repercussions, safeguards your operations, and upholds your reputation.

Compliance regulations regularly change as technology advances and businesses store more sensitive data. Recently the Payment card industry (PCI) introduced PCI 4.0 which shifts more responsibility onto the business owner to protect their customer’s financial data.

As of March 2024, the past PCI version, 3.2.1, has been retired, leaving version 4.0 as the sole active version of the standard. While businesses must ensure full compliance with version 4.0 immediately, a subset of the new requirements will be deemed “best practices” until March 31, 2025, after which those future-dated requirements will be fully in effect. Getting your retail business in line with these requirements takes time so it’s important to be proactive.

The Risks of Non-Compliance
Non-compliance with regulations can have severe consequences for your retail business. Let’s explore some of the key risks:

Heavy Fines and Penalties and the Inability to Run Credit Card Transactions
Regulatory bodies impose substantial fines and penalties on businesses that fail to meet compliance requirements. These financial consequences can significantly impact your bottom line.

Failure to comply with industry standards, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), can lead to the loss of your ability to process credit card payments. This not only hampers customer convenience but also limits your revenue streams.

Credit card companies may not be interested in working with businesses that are not fully compliant with the most current standards because it’s a business risk.

Acquiring banks can also impose financial penalties ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 per month for non-compliance with PCI regulations. Furthermore, your company may face additional consequences, including the termination of its relationship with the bank, credit card companies whose payments are accepted, and any other payment processor utilized.

These entities are unlikely to cooperate with a client who fails to meet PCI compliance requirements.

If your company manages to retain its client status, transaction fees will probably increase, necessitating a rise in prices to cover these expenses.

Consequently, this may result in the loss of customers who prefer to patronize merchants offering similar products and services at more affordable rates than your business can now afford to charge.

Tarnished Brand Reputation
Non-compliance can damage your brand’s image and erode customer trust. News of compliance violations spreads quickly, potentially leading to a loss of customers and negative publicity that is challenging to overcome.

According to BusinessWire, 81% of survey respondents would stop engaging with a brand online following a data breach.

Understanding PCI Compliance
PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) compliance refers to a set of security standards designed to ensure that all businesses that accept, process, store, or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment. PCI DSS version 1.0 was initially released by Visa and MasterCard in December 2004. Subsequently, in 2006, the PCI Council was formed, leading to the publication of PCI DSS version 1.1, which included American Express, Discover, and JCB.

The goal of PCI DSS is to safeguard cardholder data, and its compliance is required for any business that processes card payments. Non-compliance can result in hefty fines, increased transaction fees, and potentially losing the ability to process credit cards altogether.

Traditionally, PCI DSS v3.2.1 compliance has consisted of 12 main requirements, grouped into six major objectives which can be summarized as follows:

1. Build and Maintain a Secure Network and Systems

• Install and maintain a firewall configuration to protect cardholder data.
• Do not use vendor-supplied defaults for system passwords and other security parameters.

2. Protect Cardholder Data

• Protect stored cardholder data.
• Encrypt transmission of cardholder data across open, public networks.

3. Maintain a Vulnerability Management Program

• Protect all systems against malware and regularly update antivirus software or programs.
• Develop and maintain secure systems and applications.

4. Implement Strong Access Control Measures

• Restrict access to cardholder data by business need-to-know.
• Identify and authenticate access to system components.
• Restrict physical access to cardholder data.

5. Regularly Monitor and Test Networks

• Track and monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data.
• Regularly test security systems and processes.

6. Maintain an Information Security Policy

• Maintain a policy that addresses information security for all personnel.

These requirements represent a robust approach to security, including elements of policy, procedures, network architecture, software design, and other critical protective measures. While PCI DSS v3.2.1 provided the groundwork for v4.0, the latter clarifies, modifies and expands the requirements to better protect account data.

The level of PCI compliance your business needs to adhere to depends on a variety of factors from the volume of transactions you process annually to whether a card is present or not. Depending on the environment, implementing, and validating PCI DSS v4.0 can be relatively straight-forward, or it can be rigorous and complex, but the end game is the same as it’s always been—to ensure your business meets standardized data security objectives.

PCI Compliance goes beyond meeting external requirements. It involves implementing internal processes and controls to ensure adherence to industry standards and regulations. Here are some crucial points to consider:

• Internal and External Compliance: Compliance is not solely about adhering to external regulations. It also entails establishing internal mechanisms to meet the necessary standards. This includes implementing robust security measures, employee training programs, and regular internal audits.
• Staying Updated with Standards: Compliance standards evolve, and PCI 4.0 is the most recent standard set. It is crucial to stay informed about the latest regulations, to ensure your business remains aligned with current best practices and does not base your business’ compliance on old standards.

Steps to Achieve Compliance
Becoming and maintaining compliance is an ongoing effort. Here are the key steps you should take:

• Adopt an industry-trusted methodology: Utilize industry-trusted methodologies like the Open Systems Security and IT (OSSIT) process. This systematic approach will guide you through identifying and addressing compliance requirements specific to your retail business.
• Conduct an In-Depth Evaluation: Perform a comprehensive evaluation of your technology infrastructure, controls, and risk management practices. Don’t rely on a Self Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) to determine your compliance. A professional assessment will help identify any vulnerabilities or gaps that may hinder compliance and enable you to implement appropriate measures.
• Ongoing Evaluations: Compliance is not a one-time task. Regularly assess your systems, policies, and procedures to ensure they remain up-to-date and aligned with evolving regulations. Implement a robust framework for ongoing evaluations and updates.

Benefits of Maintaining Compliance
Being compliant offers numerous advantages that contribute to the overall success of your retail business:

Third-Party Investigation: In the event of third-party investigations or legal disputes, compliance demonstrates your commitment to security and can help protect your business from potential losses.

Maintaining the Ability to Accept Credit Cards: Compliance ensures you can continue accepting credit card payments, providing convenience to your customers and maintaining revenue streams without disruption.

Brand Reputation: A compliant business fosters trust and confidence among customers. By prioritizing data security and secure transactions, you enhance your brand reputation, differentiate yourself from non-compliant competitors, and build long-term customer loyalty.

Secure Network Reliability: Compliance measures help protect your network infrastructure, reducing the risk of data breaches and ensuring the reliability and security of your business operations.

Adaptation to Rule Changes: Remaining compliant enables you to adapt to evolving regulatory requirements. By staying proactive and up-to-date, you can ensure your business remains competitive and avoids penalties associated with non-compliance.

Compliance is a fundamental aspect of running a successful retail business. By understanding the risks of non-compliance, recognizing the significance of internal compliance, and following industry-trusted methodologies, you can safeguard your operations and protect your reputation. Prioritize compliance to build a resilient and reputable retail business for the long term.