Most business VoIP providers and businesses operating over VoIP networks are likely aware of the looming deadline for those that regularly handle credit card transactions. This deadline, set for Jan. 1, 2015, will require that any company making credit card transactions be in compliance with the Payment Card Industry’s PCI (News - Alert) 3.0 platform. While PCI 3.0 security is typically thought of in relation to computers, any device attached to a network is implicated, including VoIP phone systems if you are using voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP).
It is widely agreed upon that the new PCI standard will help organizations avoid most breaches, such as the massive one suffered by Target (News - Alert) earlier this year (Target, as it turns out, had failed to comply to this standard and may have been able to avoid the breach if it had not neglected it). Considering the damage that such a breach can create for a business, not only in terms of revenue but also in customer loyalty and public reputation, it’s surprising that more companies aren’t seeking PCI 3.0 compliance with vigor.
But why are so many companies dragging their feet? According to research firm NTT (News - Alert), only 30 percent of companies that process or handle credit cards will be ready in time for the Jan.1 deadline. One likely reason for slow adoption of the new system is that the switch from PCI 2.0 to PCI 3.0 is no simple task, as it requires companies to significantly reshape their internal structures and environments in order to ensure that the right technology is in place, and that companies adhere to specific organizational processes and policies (including the organizational structures that support them).
Fortunately, as the saying goes, “there’s an app for that.” VoIP customers can now access an easy-to-use application from VoIPshield Systems (News - Alert), called VoIPaudit, which performs a comprehensive audit of VoIP networks, alerting users immediately to any problems and identifying how to fix them. This means that for VoIP companies, achieving PCI 3.0 compliance just got a whole lot easier. VoIPaudit checks for PCI 3.0 compliance, as well as that of other standards such as COBIT 5.0, NIST-800 and ISO 27002.
By investing in compliance assurance applications like VoIPaudit, business VoIP network providers will save themselves time, money and a lot of headaches come January.
Edited by Maurice Nagle