CardGate has been a payment service provider since 1998, and their software helps merchants process card payments online. They are a preferred supplier of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
Being in business since the early stages of e-commerce, Cardgate CEO, Harry Ramadan, has seen many things change, the most significant development happening in the mid-2000s.
When the internet became more accessible, online shopping became more popular. And that created a perfect storm for a new generation of criminals: cybercriminals.
So while the payment card industry was experiencing record growth and was looking to a prosperous future, they were in the grips of a cybercrime epidemic that could derail it all. In Harry’s words, the industry “needed to get their act together”.
So in 2004, the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (commonly shortened to PCI Council) was born. The PCI Council went about setting best-practice standards for the secure storage of credit card information online.
And PCI compliance would eventually become mandated for payment service providers. Harry was an early adopter and noticed a stark change in the competitive landscape.
“Our first PCI audit was in 2006, and at that time, a lot of our competitors didn’t bother or see the need to achieve PCI compliance.”
“The mandate flushed a lot of companies out of our industry”.
And it was for the better. While many predicted e-commerce would become the wild west where no card was safe, PCI standards have helped e-commerce grow to unprecedented levels and change the retail landscape for good.
The importance of having the right PCI compliance partner
As the industry matured almost a decade later, Harry realised not all PCI qualified security assessors were created equal.
“We had worked with some companies we weren’t happy with in the past.”
“A lot of companies will come in, do a quick audit and give us the all-clear. We wanted someone who would work with us to maintain the highest possible security standards.”
In came Stratica, and Harry soon realised the benefits of Stratica’s unique approach to Cybersecurity.
“They aren’t just assessors and auditors. They are consultants, and help us set the highest possible standards for payment security.”
“Our high-value partnerships with merchants depend on the level of attention to detail we get with Stratica.”
Having worked with Stratica since 2015, Harry knows his security is in good hands.
“PCI compliance is never easy, but we can rely on Stratica for great advice.”
Are you looking for a qualified security assessor to help your organisation stay PCI compliant? Look no further than Stratica. For a free audit and security review where we will help you set the standard for payment security in your industry, get in contact with us today.