First American and Trustwave help merchants stay PCI compliant

One of the fastest growing electronic payments processors in the U. S. First American Payment Systems, L.P. has partnered with Trustwave to create a program called PCI Smart in order to help merchants achieve and maintain compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. PCI DSS is the payment card industry security requirement for entities that store, process or transmit cardholder data, and has been endorsed by all the major card brands, such as Visa Inc., MasterCard Worldwide, Discover Network, American Express and JCB.

Trustwave is the leading provider of on-demand data security and payment card industry compliance management solutions to businesses and organizations throughout the world. "Our statistics show that card-present merchants represent the largest percentage of compromised merchants in North America," says Robert J. McCullen, Chairman and CEO of Trustwave. "Trustwave's technology will help merchants manage their compliance efforts and secure their network environment."

PCI Smart, which is committed to assisting merchants meet their PCI DSS compliance obligations, will provide First American merchants with access to TrustKeeper®, Trustwave's on-demand compliance management solution. TrustKeeper provides the automated tools necessary to support on-going compliance such as quarterly network vulnerability scans. Besides, merchants will have access to online tools and, in many cases, advanced technology for system monitoring.

Furthermore, PCI Smart will provide First American merchants with access to Trustwave's PCI Assistant in order to better assist them in their compliance efforts. PCI Assistant, an on-demand online video tutorial, will help guide merchants through general cardholder data security, the PCI DSS and how to comply with the PCI DSS. Compliance support services are also available for those businesses requiring additional guidance to become PCI DSS compliant. "Many merchants do not have the resources or technological background to manage compliance efforts on their own. This partnership will provide our merchants the guidance and expertise necessary to validate PCI DSS compliance," said Neil L. Randel, Chairman and CEO of First American.