Aloha Point of Sale

Data Security

What you don't know could cost you a lot of money.

You may have received communications from Visa, other card brands, or your merchant bank informing you of mandates related to Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) compliance. These communications should be taken seriously. In 2009, criminals stole credit card data from restaurants three times more often than they did in 2008. Small businesses were targeted four times as often as large businesses.

Under the PCI-DSS, it is your responsibility, as a merchant, to ensure your entire payment environment is in compliance with data security requirements. Please be aware however, that demonstrating PCI-DSS compliance and operating a secure environment encompass more than just your POS system.

There are many other aspects of the PCI-DSS that are also your responsibility to have in place at your site, such as firewalls, anti-virus software, secure access procedures, etc.  You can find specifics on PCI-DSS requirements and standards at http://www.pcisecuritystandards.org.

For more information on how these standards and mandates relate specifically to the restaurant industry, please visit http://www.restaurantdatasecurity.com.