Three steps for PCI DSS Compliance on Wi-Fi devices

A new white paper from Summit Data Communications reveals three best practices for ensuring that Wi-Fi client devices are compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. The best practices are to use the strongest standards-based security on every Wi-Fi client, minimize the number of Wi-Fi client configurations and radios in use, and rely on ease-to-use client configuration software.

Payment Card Industry Council has created a common set of guidelines for how retailers must protect the credit card information stored, processed, and transmitted on their networks. Those guidelines are codified as requirements in the PCI Data Security Standard, or PCI DSS. A retailer that fails to comply with PCI DSS can face stiff penalties, including losing the right to accept credit cards.

An in-store Wi-Fi network with inadequate protections enables thieves to steal credit card information without entering the store. A Wi-Fi security scheme is viable only if it is supported by every client devices that is allowed on the network.