Securious Cofounder and CEO Pete Woodward requalifies for PCI DSS and 3DS

We’re delighted that Pete Woodward, Cofounder and CEO, has renewed his Payment Card Security Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and 3-Domain Secure (3DS) qualifications, meaning he continues to be a PCI Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) and 3DS Assessor.

What is PCI DSS?

PCI DSS  is a set of security standards and best practices designed to ensure the secure handling of credit card and debit card information. PCI DSS was created by major credit card companies, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, JCB and UnionPay, to help protect cardholder data and prevent data breaches.

PCI DSS outlines a series of requirements and security controls that organisations that handle payment card information must follow. These requirements include measures such as securing network systems, encrypting cardholder data, implementing access controls, regularly monitoring and testing security systems, and maintaining a security policy.

Compliance with PCI DSS is mandatory for businesses that process, store, or transmit credit card data. Failure to comply can result in fines, penalties, and loss of the ability to process credit card payments. To achieve and maintain PCI DSS compliance, organisations typically undergo assessments and audits to ensure they meet the standard’s requirements and secure cardholder data effectively.

What does it mean to be a PCI DSS QSA?

A PCI QSA is an individual that is authorised and certified by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) to assess and validate an organisation’s compliance with the PCI DSS. 

What is 3DS?

3DS is a security protocol for online credit and debit card transactions. It’s designed to add an extra layer of security when making online payments to reduce the risk of fraudulent transactions, because it allows the cardholder to verify their identity.

This reduces payment fraud, which in turn reduces the amount of merchant chargebacks (claims that the payment transaction did not take place) and helps minimise unauthorised card transactions.

By incorporating 3DS (3-D Secure) into their operations, payment service providers (PSPs) can expect a decrease in card fraud incidents, because cardholders are required to take additional authentication steps before finalising their payments.

The most recent iteration of 3-D Secure, known as 3DS2 (3-D Security 2.0), seamlessly integrates with the card transaction process. Only when suspicious or unfamiliar activities are detected will a transaction be earmarked for authentication.

This means that cardholders will not be redirected to their respective banks for authentication. Instead, they can conveniently verify their identity through methods like text messages or confirmation codes via a dedicated app.

What does it mean to be a 3DS Assessor?

A 3DS Assessor is an individual who is authorised and certified to conduct PCI 3DS Assessments, validate and attest to an entity’s PCI 3DS Core Security Standard compliance status, and prepare appropriate compliance reports (such as Reports on Compliance (RoC)) required by payment card brands and acquiring banks.

Need to be PCI or 3DS compliant?

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