PCI Security Standards Council announces programs for upcoming community event

The PCI Security Standards Council recently announced details on upcoming sessions for its annual Community Meetings in the United States during September and England in October. The global industry standards body, which provides management of the Card Industry Data Security Standard, PIN Transaction Security requirements and the Payment Application Data Security Standard, said persistent threats and data breaches emphasize the need for greater security measures.

Compared to previous years, the number of security incidents decreased in 2010, according to a study by Verizon Wireless, and although more organizations are aware of the potential danger they impose, the PCI Security Standards Council said they must have proper security defenses in place for future threats.

For the upcoming Community Meetings in Arizona and London, topics that will be discussed include "point-to-point encryption, mobile payments, virtualization and tokenization, as well as dedicated sessions providing guidance to those aiding in PCI assessments, including Approved Scanning Vendors, Qualified Security Assessors and Internal Security Assessors," the PCI Security Standards Council said in a press release.

The event this year will also offer new programs, including special group presentations and sessions teaching attendees how to implement long-term PCI compliance programs and how to create a security lifecycle.

"This is a critical year for all stakeholders, as we move toward adoption of PCI DSS 2.0 and investigate new technologies,” said Bob Russo, general manager of the PCI Security Standards Council.

According to the announcement, the events will provide an opportunity for vendors to ask questions of industry leaders with activities, such as "Breakfast with the Brands," as well as an networking event called "Tables for Six,"which is geared as an informal dinner with the PCI community.

"I look forward to gathering as a community and hearing from the front lines about the latest in payment security, how we can better work together to ensure not only that our standards remain critical resources for protecting card data but also that organizations have what they need to implement and maintain strong security programs," said Russo.

Last month, the PCI Security Standards Council released a new set of guidelines to help regulate payment card and mobile payments. According to the announcement, the resource helps developers accept all forms of electronic payments, which include credit, debit, smart card and mobile payments. Also, Russo said the new update will help developers understand how they will evaluate PCI compliance in the future.