Central Credit Services Achieves PCI DSS Compliance

Jacksonville, FL: Central Credit Services, Inc. (www.ccscollect.com – CCS), an accounts receivable management solutions provider headquartered in Jacksonville, FL, today announced it has achieved compliance with the Payment Card Industry’s Data Security Standards (www.pcisecuritystandards.org – PCI DSS).

According to the PCI Security Standards Council, which is responsible for the development and awareness of the PCI DSS, the standards incorporate comprehensive requirements for enhancing payment account data security and are intended to help organizations proactively protect customer account data.  PCI DSS is organized around 6 principles and 12 core requirements, as stated on the council’s website:

Build and Maintain a Secure Network

• Install and maintain a firewall configuration to protect cardholder data.
• Do not use vendor-supplied defaults for system passwords and other security parameters.

Protect Cardholder Data

• Protect stored cardholder data.
• Encrypt transmission of cardholder data across open, public networks.

Maintain a Vulnerability Management Program

• Use and regularly update anti-virus software.
• Develop and maintain secure systems and applications.

Implement Strong Access Control Measures

• Restrict access to cardholder data by business need-to-know.
• Assign a unique ID to each person with computer access.
• Restrict physical access to cardholder data.

Regularly Monitor and Test Networks

• Track and monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data.
• Regularly test security systems and processes.

Maintain an Information Security Policy

• Maintain a policy that addresses information security.

PCI DSS was created by founding payment brands American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB International, MasterCard Worldwide, and Visa Inc. Inc. International, to help facilitate the broad adoption of consistent data security measures on a global basis.

Commenting on the certification, President and Chief Executive Officer James J. (Jim) Eccleston, noted, “We are pleased to have achieved certification for practices we have been following for some time now” he said, adding, “Our partners and their customers can feel secure in knowing that we handle payment data in a highly controlled, tightly managed environment.”