ATLANTA, Ga, —DATAMATX, a national outsourcing provider and leader in the distribution of critical business communications and payment services, announced it has successfully met the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) version 3.1. PCI DSS 3.1 is the latest iteration of the payment security standard introduced by Visa, MasterCard and the other major payment card brands to safeguard the transmission and storage of payment card data. PCI DSS 3.1 further addresses vulnerabilities within the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption protocol that can put payment data at risk.

Qualifying for PCI DSS 3.1 required DATAMATX to meet mandated updates and clarifications made to PCI DSS version 3.0 after security alerts found that SSL was not acceptable for the protection of data due to weaknesses within the protocol. Upgrading to a current version of TLS—the successor protocol to SSL—is the only known way to remediate these vulnerabilities. To achieve compliance with PCI DSS version 3.1, a company must meet 12 requirements designed to secure and protect customer payment data that include, but are not limited to, installing and maintaining a firewall configuration to protect cardholder data, assigning a unique ID to each person with computer access and regularly testing security systems and processes.

“DATAMATX was one of the first companies to achieve PCI-DSS in our industry several years ago. We’re once again proud to announce DATAMATX has achieved the certification that involves the latest industry standards. Our ongoing commitment is to always stay ahead of the curve when it comes to security compliance to ensure our customers have the best possible protection available in the payments space,” said Scott Stephens, COO of DATAMATX.