KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 15): Carrier-neutral data services provider AIMS Group has achieved the PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Version 2.0 recognition, making it only the  third data centre in Malaysia to receive the global compliance recognition for payment security.

PCI DSS is the technical requirement framework for payment data security compliance that is recognised by global payment brands such as American Express, VISA Inc, Mastercard, Discover Financial Services and JCB International to ensure the safe handling of cardholder information.

In a statement Monday, AIMS chief executive officer Chiew Kok Hin said the security qualification has long been in the works by the data centre, in consideration of the increasing trend of data breaches in the country.

He said the PCI DSS compliance was crucial for managing risks, reducing losses and ensuring customer data remains safe and is a requirement for all merchants and service providers that store, process or transmit cardholder data.

He said PCI DSS compliant businesses must adhere to vital security measures such as policies, security management, procedures, network architecture and software design.

Chiew also said that according to Bank Negara’s 2013 annual report, the volume of e-payment transactions comprising usage of payment cards, e-money and Internet banking totalled 1.9 billion transactions, valued at RM16.2 trillion.

“At the same time, credit card fraud was the most common form of payment fraud with total losses amounting to RM29.4 million, with almost 62% of this amount being due to unauthorised Internet transactions,” he said.

Chew said this demonstrated that more needs to be done to prevent leaks occurring from the financial aspect of our digital economy.

“A sizeable number of data centre clients are made up of those from the financial and e-commerce industries and while AIMS does not directly manage consumers financial data, it is a huge concern to them.

“Hence to protect AIMS data centre clients we went a step deeper and made the decision to invest in efforts to adopt global standards in data security measures designed to protect cardholder data,” he said.

Chiew said so far, AIMS had invested close to RM1 million in fortifying the overall IT security of its data centre facilities.