MasterCard Teams with Cybertrust to Help Merchants Achieve PCI Data Security Standard Compliance

MasterCard Worldwide today announced a global PCI vendor promotion with Cybertrust, the global information security specialist. The promotion is designed to provide merchants with resources that will assist them in working toward compliance with the PCI Data Security Standard, a common set of industry guidelines and measurements that help ensure the safe handling of payment card data and provides the framework for developing an account data security process.

The new promotion is being made available for up to 2,000 merchants and includes a free one- year subscription to the Cybertrust online portal, access to the required PCI Self Assessment Questionnaire, and enables merchants to schedule their required quarterly network scans. The questionnaire and quarterly network scans are PCI compliance validation requirements for merchants that are classified as either level 2 or level 3.

“This partnership with Cybertrust is part of MasterCard’s ongoing commitment to information security,” said Bruce Rutherford, vice president, product management, Law and Franchise Integrity for MasterCard. “The vital need to secure payment card data is a shared objective. By partnering to provide the merchant community with tools to achieve and maintain PCI compliance, MasterCard is connecting the stakeholders that will advance industry-wide compliance and further secure the payment environment.”

The PCI Data Security Standard details technical requirements for the secure storage, processing and transmission of cardholder data, as well as common auditing and scanning procedures. Merchants are required to demonstrate compliance with PCI through onsite assessments, network security scans and self-assessments.

Under PCI, merchants must conduct quarterly online network security scans to help identify vulnerabilities and provide valuable information that improves protection against online attacks. As a part of this new incentive program, MasterCard is offering free network scanning and other benefits through its partnership with Cybertrust.

“We are delighted to partner with MasterCard on a promotion that will secure sensitive customer information and help facilitate compliance with the PCI Data Security Standard,” said Kerry Bailey, senior vice president of global services, Cybertrust. “We look forward to leveraging our expertise in security to help MasterCard’s merchant partners protect themselves against account data compromise and fraud.”