Pci

Software developers with applications processing credit cards face PCI compliance, with options being costly audits or application redesign. A simpler, cheaper approach is to remove credit card storage by using tokenization: replacing card numbers with secure tokens from a payment processor. By storing tokens instead of credit card numbers, applications can achieve PCI compliance without extensive audits and maintain rebilling functionality.

Merchants need to be PCI compliant to securely handle credit card transactions, with PCI guidelines strongly advising against storing credit card numbers directly. For simple online payments, using a processor's secure hosted payment page ensures PCI compliance by keeping card entry off the merchant's site. For more complex applications needing recurring billing, processors offer tokenization, where a customer ID replaces the actual card number, allowing for rebilling without storing sensitive data and maintaining PCI compliance.

Storing sensitive customer data locally for rebilling purposes creates PCI compliance challenges, leading many merchants to seek alternatives. Merchant account providers offer a solution by securely storing customer payment information and issuing a customer ID or token. This allows merchants to rebill customers using just the ID, simplifying PCI compliance and streamlining recurring transactions.

Storing customer credit card information is now heavily regulated by PCI, making rebilling challenging for merchants aiming for compliance. A solution is to utilize a PCI-approved third-party payment processor to securely store card details and issue a customer ID in return. This approach allows merchants to rebill customers using only the ID, thus achieving PCI compliance by avoiding direct storage of sensitive cardholder data.

Visa has announced global mandates for PCI DSS compliance to establish a consistent security framework for merchants and service providers worldwide. These mandates include new validation requirements and deadlines for merchants, especially larger ones, to demonstrate PCI DSS compliance and avoid storing sensitive cardholder data. Adhering to PCI DSS is crucial for businesses to protect themselves from data breaches and maintain the integrity of the global payment system.