ParTech, Inc., announced that it has joined the PCI Security Standards Council as a new participating organization. As a Participating Organization, PAR will work with the Council to evolve the PCI Data Security Standard (DSS) and other payment card data protection standards.

The PCI DSS, endorsed by American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB International, MasterCard Worldwide, and Visa Inc., requires merchants and service providers that store, process, or transmit customer payment card data to adhere to information security controls and processes that ensure data integrity.

As a Participating Organization, PAR will now have access to the latest payment card security standards from the Council, be able to provide feedback on the standards, and become part of a growing community that now includes more than 500 organizations. In an era of increasingly sophisticated attacks on systems, adhering to the PCI DSS represents an entity's best protection against data criminals. By joining as a participating organization, PAR is adding its voice to the process.

"The PCI Security Standards Council is committed to helping everyone involved in the payment chain protect consumer payment data," says Bob Russo, general manager of the PCI Security Standards Council. "By participating in the standards setting process, PAR demonstrates they are playing an active part in this important end goal."

"Our customers need secure systems to process and transmit payment card transactions, and PAR takes credit card security very seriously," says Scott Langdoc, chief technology officer, ParTech, Inc. "Card data security is a top priority when we design our point-of-sale solutions. The PCI Security Standards Council is instrumental in driving improved cardholder data security across all industries and we are committed to taking an active role in helping shape the future of payment card data protection standards."