How do I become PCI compliant?

We have simplified the effort that you must undertake to validate your compliance. At your earliest opportunity, please visit us on the web to log in to your merchant account and complete the necessary steps to become certified as compliant. If you have any trouble logging in to the system or require assistance completing the process, please contact the PCI Compliance Helpdesk at (877) 277-1176.

Again, your compliance is required.  Your benefits include:

  • PCI Management Education
  • PCI Management Self-Assessment Questionnaire
  • PCI recommended Data Security Policy for you and your company
  • Unlimited System Scans for up to five IP addresses, if required

PCI Compliance Validation Service Program Frequently Asked Questions

The Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS) is a set of requirements for enhancing payment account data security. These standards were developed by the PCI Security Standards Council, which was founded by American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB International, Mastercard Worldwide and Visa Inc. to facilitate industry-wide adoption of consistent data security measures on a global basis. The standard aims to increase awareness and promote best practices in the handling of sensitive information as a means to minimizing identity theft and fraudulent transactions.

No. The framework of the PCI data security standards has existed in different forms for some time now and continues to evolve. You may be more familiar with the payment brands’ programs that promote the adoption of the PCI DSS

Yes, all merchants, whether small or large, are required to be PCI compliant. The payment brands have collectively mandated PCI DSS compliance for any and all organizations that process, store or transmit payment cardholder data. Inherent in having a merchant account is the ability to handle cardholder data.

No. Use of a PCI compliant payment application is one aspect of the many PCI DSS requirements, which cover handling of sensitive data. Currently, the PCI DSS lists twelve requirements. These requirements are organized around the following principles:

  • Build and maintain a secure network
  • Protect cardholder data
  • Maintain a vulnerability management program
  • Implement strong access control measures
  • Regularly monitor and test networks
  • Maintain an information security policy

If you choose not to complete the self-assessment questionnaire (and applicable network scans) you may overlook certain data security practices that minimize your risk of a security breach. In the event that your business is compromised, you may be subject to substantial fines per payment brand. These fines would be in addition to the expenses and fraudulent transactions resulting from the breach.

In light of the importance that data security has to the payment processing industry and consumers at large, we, as your service provider, may also begin imposing a fee for each month that your account has not been validated as PCI compliant or in any given month your account is deemed non-compliant. Failure to validate compliance may result in the termination of your merchant account.

The Home Federal Bank PCI Compliance Management Service includes: assistance in determining which version of the Self-Assessment Questionnaire is appropriate for your business; administration of any applicable network scans; guidance on any necessary remediation efforts; and certification and validation of your account’s compliance. At your earliest opportunity, please visit us on the web to log in to your merchant account and complete the necessary steps to become certified as compliant. Your default user ID is your Merchant Number and your default password is the last five digits of your Merchant Number and the uppercase state abbreviation. You will be prompted to change this initial password after logging in for the first time. If you have any trouble logging in to the system or require assistance completing the process, please contact the PCI Compliance Helpdesk at (877) 277-1176.

The PCI compliance certificate is valid for one year from the date the certificate is issued. To maintain your compliance, you are required to complete the PCI DSS self-assessment questionnaire annually and conduct any applicable network scan on a quarterly basis.

  • SAQ A – Internet merchant where merchant website has no contact with card data (clicking on shopping card re-directs to secure third-party website for data collection)
  • SAQ A-EP – Internet merchant where merchant website does collect card data prior to passing on to secure third-party website for processing. REQUIRES QUARTERLY SCANS
  • SAQ B – Merchants with Dial-up Terminals (analog phone line), Touch Tone Capture, Wireless Terminals, and Mobile Processing that is utilizing only Cellular Data during the processing of transactions (no WiFi)
  • SAQ B-IP – Merchants with IP-Connected Terminals. REQUIRES QUARTERLY SCANS
  • SAQ C – Merchants processing over the internet (Virtual Terminal, Third-party VAR with IP Connection, and Mobile Processing utilizing WiFi during processing of transactions). REQUIRES QUARTERLY SCANS
  • SAQ C-VT – Merchants processing with iTerminal, Orbital VT, or Global Gateway VT with NO stripe reader and accessing on a PC that is not on a network. SCANS NOT REQUIRED
Back to top