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Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:22:15 -0800

Lately I have been doing a lot of research into PCI Scanning. This topic can be somewhat confusing, so I thought I would let you know the basics of what I have found out. PCI (Payment Card Industry) compliance requires abiding by a set of security standards put into place by the PCI council, which consists of the five major credit card companies (American Express, Discover, JCB, MasterCard and Visa). These security standards ensure that there is sameness throughout the credit card processing industry.

Businesses and merchants that accept credit cards are required to verify PCI compliance at least yearly. A key part of PCI compliance involves network security scans, otherwise known as PCI scans. PCI scanning is required for all merchants and service providers that collect, process, or transmit payment card account information.

You may wonder exactly what PCI scanning is. I have an answer. It is when an Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV) scans your site, either daily or quarterly, to check for vulnerabilities. PCI scans must be conducted by a vendor that is PCI compliant. They will scan your websites IP address, and also any third party shopping cart's IP address depending on if you use one or not. This is very important because you will be held liable if anyone happens to acquire your customer's payment card information.

A fantastic place that now offers PCI scanning is Trust Guard. I have found that they are very affordable and they even accommodate smaller businesses. Trust Guard offers PCI scanning and third party verification and trust seals. All these things help bring more business to your website.

I hope this article has offered up some helpful advice about PCI scanning. Above all, you should remember that although the topic of PCI scanning and compliance seems overwhelming, it's important. Make sure that your website is PCI compliant and not only will you be protecting your business, but you will probably see more sales as customers will gain more trust in your website.

http://webverification.stumbleupon.com/review/29142560/

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:29:46 -0800

PCI compliance is necessary if you own a website whether you are required to be in compliance or not. Shoppers online are more careful these days about visiting some websites. A perfect way that you can let your customers know that your website is safe and secure is to follow PCI Compliance.

PCI compliance is required for businesses, third party credit card processors or acquirers, who are storing, processing or receiving credit card information in any form. You may be asking yourself what exactly PCI compliance involves. PCI compliance involves following certain security standards that have been put into place by the Payment Card Industry (PCI) council. These PCI standards are divided up into the following six categories.

* Maintain a secure network.
* Protect cardholder data.
* Maintain a vulnerability management program.
* Implement strong access control measures.
* Regularly monitor and test networks.
* Maintain and information security policy.

Hopefully this gives you some idea of what is required and answers any questions you may have about PCI compliance. Regardless of what you must do to be in compliance, the number one reason for website owners to have PCI compliance is to provide protection to their customers while shopping online. People will be more likely to visit your site time and time again, if they can be sure that their private information is being protected. Following PCI compliance is a big way to prove this.

If you are not sure where to look for PCI Compliance, you should check out Trust Guard. They offer PCI scanning as well as other third party verification and trust seals, and all at an affordable price. Having the trust of your customers will lead to more sales. For more information check out http://www.trust-guard.com.

http://webverification.stumbleupon.com/review/28058564/

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:25:17 -0800

As a consumer, you should question if your private information is protected when you are shopping on the internet. Research has shown that the number one explanation of why people continue to shop at a bricks and mortar stores is because they worry that their personal information may be stolen or misused. An answer to this dilemma is for a website to use trust seals from third party verification companies like McAfee Secure. If you notice these trust seals (small images or trademarks) posted on a business's website, you can trust that the business owner has taken the extra steps needed to guarantee your online security.

Some of the things that McAfee Secure protects you from are identity theft and credit card fraud, which often work hand in hand. Identity theft is a term used to explain all kinds of crime in which a person wrongfully acquires and uses another person's personal information and account numbers in some way that entails fraud or dishonesty, usually for economic gain. McAfee Secure protects you against identity theft by administering a daily scan of the website and informing the website owner of any vulnerabilities that may be there.

McAfee Secure also protects consumers against credit card fraud. The daily scanning of the websites you shop on is also referred to as PCI scanning which stands for Payment Card Industry scanning. What this means is that the website has passed the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard or PCI DSS compliance test. Including things like an SSL (secure socket layer) certificate which insures encryption and security of your online account information. You can rest assured that no one will be able to get your credit card information.

Shopping online should be enjoyable and convenient. Make sure you look for security trust seals, from companies such as McAfee Secure, and you won't have to worry when you are shopping online.

http://webverification.stumbleupon.com/review/27716177/

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:48:47 -0800

Whether we are shopping on the internet or visiting a store in person, we need to know that the folks we are doing business with are trustworthy and honest. Customers need to be certain that a business is practicing fair and also keeping their personal information safe. The Better Business Bureau (BBB online) assists customers by encouraging better business standards so that the customer's private information and purchases are kept safe and secure. Also, the BBB online trust mark helps customers know that a website has been assessed and is meeting the program standards for good business practices online.

The BBB online trustmark confirms that a business has been verified by the Better Business Bureau and is meeting the BBB's truth in advertising guidelines. Other values that the BBB wants businesses to keep are that the business reveals information about its guidelines, follows necessary privacy and security practices, and replies appropriately to any problems that arise. The trust mark links to a BBB report on the business, which allows online shoppers to instantaneously verify a business's trustworthiness.

Building customer trust is very important in today's world of e-commerce. Studies have shown that privacy is the main concern for customers when shopping online and is the number one reason why consumers decide to shop at a bricks-and-mortar store instead of online. So the best thing you can do to increase sales online is to prove to your customers that your website is safe for them to shop. Third party verification from companies like the BBB online is the way to do it.

http://webverification.stumbleupon.com/review/26935412/

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 20:28:36 -0700

Website Verification and Hackersafe Trust Seals

If you have thought about starting your own website, or if you already have one, there are some things you should consider. Have you done what you should so that your website is secure? Are customers going to feel safe and secure when shopping on your site? If you have wondered about this, you are not alone. Many website owners wonder what they can do to make their site trusted by customers. One answer is Hackersafe (now known as McAfee Secure). Hackersafe is a trust seal program that uses PCI (Payment Card Industry) scanning to check your website daily for vulnerabilities and then certifies the results with their seals.

What exactly are trust seals? Trust seals, also known as trust marks or verification seals, are small graphic images that a website owner may place on their website, so customers will know at first glance that the site has been verified by a third party. They are called trust seals, because when a customer sees them, it gives them a sense of confidence or trust in your online business.

Trust seals, generally tackle one or more of the top three fears shoppers have. These are privacy, security, and business verification. Third party verification companies like Hackersafe uses remote scanning technology to check your site each day for unsafe content that could expose a customer's personal information.

So in conclusion, posting trust seals like Hackersafe, on your website is important to online shoppers, because it lets them know that your online business has higher security standards than other businesses. Customers will be sure that your business considers their privacy and security a top priority. When you have the trust of your customers you will have more sales, which is ultimately what we all want.