PCI Security Standards Council Announces Annual Community Meetings

WAKEFIELD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The PCI Security Standards Council, a global, open industry standards body providing management of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (DSS), PCI PIN Entry Device (PED) Security Requirements and the Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS), today announces the dates and locations of its Community Meetings for its participating organizations. This year, the Council will host two events, one in North America and one in Europe, ensuring broad global discussion of the PCI security standards among stakeholders. Event dates and locations are:

“Building on our success from last year, our partnership with PCI Europe and the vendor showcase for this year’s North American event will make these meetings even more valuable to the Council’s Participating Organizations.”

North America:					September 23-25, 2008
					Omni Champions Gate Resort
					Orlando, Florida

Europe:					October 21-23, 2008
					Crowne Plaza Hotel
					Brussels, Belgium

Registration details for both meetings will be communicated to Council Participating Organizations in early July.

Each meeting will open with an evening cocktail reception with content following that will address the next version of PCI DSS, announced as 1.2, the continued rollout of PA-DSS and the latest in PED Security Requirements. The meetings will allow participants to interact with and provide feedback to Council management. Attendees will also hear from industry experts on the latest issues surrounding payment card security and will be provided with an update from the members of recently formed special interest groups. Both meetings will include special sessions for Qualified Security Assessors (QSAs) and Approved Scanning Vendors (ASVs) as part of a pre-conference workshop on September 23 in North America and a post-conference workshop October 23 in Europe.

In addition, Participating Organizations, QSAs and ASVs that come to the North American meeting this year will have the opportunity to demonstrate their products and services at a vendor showcase on September 24.

The additional meeting in Europe is especially important this year, as it supports the Council’s partnership with PCI Europe 2008. Although not affiliated with the PCI SSC, this annual conference provides participants in-depth information on PCI-related issues and compliance awareness in Europe. PCI SSC Participating Organizations that attend PCI Europe, also held at the Brussels Crowne Plaza Hotel, will receive a 40 percent discount on PCI Europe registration fees. Bob Russo, General Manager of the Council, will provide the keynote address for the PCI Europe 2008 conference.

“This is our most important event of the year and we are extremely excited that we can offer two opportunities for stakeholders to engage with the Council on PCI standards,” said Bob Russo, General Manager of the PCI Security Standards Council. “Building on our success from last year, our partnership with PCI Europe and the vendor showcase for this year’s North American event will make these meetings even more valuable to the Council’s Participating Organizations.”

Attendance to the PCI SSC sponsored Community Meetings is restricted to current Participating Organizations, QSAs, ASVs and PED laboratories. Registration is complimentary for up to two named contacts at Participating Organizations and one complimentary registration for all others.

More information on the PCI Security Standards Council and its Participating Organizations can be found at: pcisecuritystandards.org.

About the PCI Security Standards Council

The mission of the PCI Security Standards Council is to enhance payment account security by driving education and awareness of the PCI Data Security Standard and other standards that increase payment data security.

The PCI Security Standards Council was formed by the major payment card brands American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB International, MasterCard Worldwide and Visa Inc. to provide a transparent forum in which all stakeholders can provide input into the ongoing development, enhancement and dissemination of the PCI Data Security Standard (DSS), PIN Entry Device (PED) Security Requirements and the Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS). Merchants, banks, processors and point of sale vendors are encouraged to join as Participating Organizations.