MasterCard's New PCI Educational Webinar for Merchants
MasterCard has announced the immediate availability of a complimentary educational webinar developed to help merchants better understand the newly available PCI Data Security Standard Self-Assessment Questionnaire (PCI DSS SAQ) version 1.1 that has been updated and released by the PCI Security Standards Council.
The PCI DSS, which was developed by MasterCard in conjunction with the other founding payment brands that comprise the PCI Security Standards Council, sets forth requirements for enhancing payment account data security and is intended to help companies protect payment account data. The multifaceted security standard includes requirements for security management, policies, procedures, network architecture, software design and other critical protective measures.
A crucial component of PCI compliance is the Self-Assessment Questionnaire, a validation tool intended to assist those merchants and service providers that are not required to have onsite assessments to self- evaluate their compliance with the PCI DSS. There are multiple forms of the SAQ to meet various scenarios, depending on how an organization stores, processes, or transmits cardholder data.
The updated SAQ version 1.1, which is intended to simplify and streamline the assessment process, was released today by the Council.
MasterCard's new Web-based module features actionable advice from MasterCard industry experts to help acquiring banks and merchants better understand the new updated SAQ. The webinar is now available online at http://www.webcasts.com/mastercardpci.
"Educating merchants and encouraging broader adoption of the PCI Data Security Standard are essential steps to better ensure the integrity of payment data," said Bruce Rutherford, Group Head, Fraud Management Solutions, MasterCard Worldwide. "This new program helps merchants effectively manage the SAQ process of the PCI DSS, while complementing our other education initiatives in our collaborative efforts to help protect our customers and cardholders from data theft and fraud."
The webinar will highlight the various SAQ types and discuss how to choose the right SAQ, tips and strategies for compliance as well as other related topics.
The new webinar is the latest component to MasterCard's ongoing commitment to industry education and knowledge sharing. In October 2007, MasterCard launched the PCI Merchant Education Program, an initiative offered to acquiring bank customers that provides practical assistance in educating merchants and encouraging broader adoption of the PCI DSS. The program continues to offer other complimentary education and training for acquiring banks and merchants to better their understanding of PCI DSS through interactive sessions, which are also available online at http://www.webcasts.com/mastercardpci.
In addition to the PCI Merchant Education Program, the MasterCard Academy of Risk Management (ARM) offers a full curriculum of online seminars, global conferences, educational materials and other tools to help secure the payments system and promote secure commerce worldwide. More information on the PCI Merchant Education Program and other ongoing MasterCard security initiatives can be found online at http://www.mastercardsecurity.com, or merchants may contact their MasterCard SDP representative.
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