Because most ecommerce businesses regularly manage sensitive credit card data and consumer information, many business owners are becoming familiar with PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) compliance. This set of standards ensures a high level of security for sensitive data, and protects both the ecommerce site and its customers from cyber criminals. Clarity can help your web site build a credit card integration system that complies with and often exceeds these standards. However, it is important to understand the different PCI DSS levels of compliance and what they mean for your business. What are PCI DSS Compliance Requirements? Businesses vary from one another wildly in their customer base and in the number of transactions they manage per year. To address this, and to determine the amount of security needed for each individual business, PSC DSS levels of compliance were created. Businesses fall under one of four categories, depending on annual transaction volume and whether they’re an ecommerce business or a traditional “brick and mortar” shop. However, individual credit card brands (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) are actually able to mandate which level of compliance your business fits, and it is not unusual for one business to belong to two PCI DSS compliance levels depending on the credit card company. generally speaking, PCI Compliance Level 4 begins with businesses that handle the smallest volume of transactions per year (typically around 20,000 or less). As the level decreases, the volume of transactions increase; PCI Level 1 generally addresses businesses that complete over 6 million transactions annually. It is a good idea to have a general understanding of your business’s PCI compliance level. While this can all seem daunting, Clarity’s security solutions are designed to meet the PCI DSS standards no matter your business size or compliance level. It’s just one more thing you won’t have to worry about when you choose Clarity. Your PCI DSS Level of Compliance and Your ecommerce Business How do these standards change the way your business operates? The largest component is the degree to which your business will be subject to scrutiny; while all ecommerce businesses must undergo quarterly vulnerability scans, Level 1 businesses must meet more rigorous requirements. While this can all seem daunting, Clarity’s security solutions are designed to meet the PCI DSS standards no matter your business size or compliance level. It’s just one more thing you won’t have to worry about when you choose Clarity.