North American Bancard to Partner with PCI Security Standards Council to Improve Payment Data Security Worldwide

As Council’s newest Participating Organization, NAB to contribute to the development of PCI Security Standards

TROY, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--North American Bancard (www.nabancard.com), provider of the payment solution PayAnywhere, announced today that it has joined the PCI Security Standards Council as a new Participating Organization. North American Bancard (NAB) will work with the 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), PIN Transaction Security (PTS) requirements and the Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS).

“NAB is an advocate for high level security standards that protect both businesses and consumers alike, and is committed to the security of the information that belongs to our merchant customers and the consumers they serve.”

Endorsed by American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB International, MasterCard Worldwide and Visa Inc., the PCI Security Standards require merchants and service providers that store, process or transmit customer payment card data to adhere to information security controls and processes that ensure data protection. To enhance payment data security globally while embracing new technologies as they are developed, the Council relies on involvement of those across the payments processing chain, from merchants and service providers to payment device manufacturers and software developers, financial institutions and processors.

As a Participating Organization, NAB adds its voice to the standards setting process and will receive previews of drafts of standards and supporting materials in order to provide feedback to shape their final versions, as well as engage a growing community of more than 600 organizations united to improve payment security.

North American Bancard will also have the opportunity to recommend new initiatives for consideration to the PCI Security Standards Council, participate in exclusive webinars and question and answer sessions with Council representatives, and review and discuss new versions of the PCI Security Standards while sharing cross-sector experiences and best practices at the annual Community Meetings.

“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, North American Bancard 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.”

“Payment data security is North American Bancard’s top priority and our intention is to be an active participant in critical security conversations with other Participating Organizations of the PCI Security Standards Council so that we may raise the bar for the entire industry,” said Tracy Metzger, CIO of North American Bancard. “NAB is an advocate for high level security standards that protect both businesses and consumers alike, and is committed to the security of the information that belongs to our merchant customers and the consumers they serve.”

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.

Connect with the PCI Council on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/pci-security-standards-council

Join the conversation on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/PCISSC

About North American Bancard

Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, North American Bancard is a multi-faceted payment solutions provider dedicated to providing the latest technology as well as the highest service levels to non-profit organizations and businesses of all sizes with round-the-clock technical and customer service support. As a registered MSP/ISO since 1992, North American Bancard provides its clients with a full suite of products and services. North American Bancard processes more than $12 billion in electronic transactions annually for more than 155,000 merchants nationwide. For more information, visit www.nabancard.com.