Foreshore Achieves PCI DSS level one

Leading internet solutions provider Foreshore has become the first Channel Islands datacentre to have attained Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Level One service provider compliance - recognised as the global industry standard for payment account data security.

The cost of online fraud to individuals and businesses is measured in billions every year, with the UK suffering an estimated 20%* of all global 'phishing' attacks. Data security is now a top priority for the finance and e-commerce industries and service providers with this accreditation can only add to Jersey's reputation as a data secure jurisdiction.

Andy Jarrett, Sales and Marketing Director for Foreshore said: "Online business continues to grow and everyone involved in the supply chain takes fraud extremely seriously. Data security is absolutely critical for business and this accreditation fully demonstrates our commitment to giving the highest levels of assurance to our clients."

Mark Milward of Play.com, a customer of Foreshore's, said: "The security of our customers' data is of paramount importance to our business.  Knowing that Foreshore takes security as seriously as we do by achieving PCI DSS compliance provides us with the confidence that best practice is being followed and that our customers' data is in safe hands "

The PCI Security Standards Council has established PCI DSS as a 12-step security standard, created to ensure protection for anyone making on-line transactions. The PCI Security Standards Council is self-governing and the board, which includes major banks, credit and debit cards and prominent retail organisations across the globe, and ensures that the regulations remain current and relevant in today's rapidly changing technology environment.

In order to attain the accreditation, merchants and service providers alike must prove competencies across a range of disciplines including security, monitoring, management, support, policies, procedures, network architecture and software design.

There are four levels of accreditation, and Foreshore has attained the highest of these - Level One, which requires an annual on-site audit by a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) and quarterly network scans by an Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV).

Foreshore worked with international specialist consultancy firm IT Governance Limited (www.itgovernance.com) to prepare for the rigorous audit processes, which were undertaken by PCI DSS Qualified Security Assessor, Visa and MasterCard approved ProCheckup.