A study has found that a significant proportion of retailers operating in the UK are not in the loop concerning the revised Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).
This news has come as a result of research carried out by LogLogic, which discovered that 13.8 per cent of retailers do not have any knowledge of the second edition of the PCI DSS and a further 15.5 per cent stated that their understanding was incomplete on the subject.
This leaves close to a third of the market in virtual darkness when it comes to payment card security, a fact which many experts find troubling.
Further questions in the study found that just 36 per cent of retailers are aware that the new PCI DSS requires major alterations and revisions of previous regulations, relating to the networks which handle payment card transactions within a given business, along with any virtualisation services used.
Auditing by the payment card providers was also considered in the survey and a majority of respondents said that they were being audited with increasing regularity when compared with previous periods.
PCI DSS version 2.0 was published in 2010 and LogLogic chief executive, Guy Churchward, explained that there is a worrying lack of understanding or, in some cases, basic knowledge about the new PCI DSS rulings and how they can apply to UK retailers. As a consequence, he believes that many need to implement changes to their own systems in order to comply with the standard.
Mr Churchward said that becoming compliant with the PCI DSS was not a single act but required constant monitoring and auditing, to ensure total data protection and compliance. He said that businesses who meet these requirements will be able to instill clients and customers with confidence.
Half of respondents to the survey said that the new PCI DSS was a positive influence and potentially valuable to their business. Close to a fifth said that they would use PCI DSS rulings to secure investment in up to date security systems.
