The Green Sheet Online Edition

March 12, 2018 • Issue 18:03:01

New Products

Secure, PCI-compliant solution for call centers

Product: Cardprotect
Company: Semafone Inc.

Semafone Inc., a global security and compliance provider based in Guildford, U.K., with U.S. headquarters in Boston, has added hosted and managed services to its flagship Cardprotect technology suite. The new services are designed to simplify Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS) compliance and provide North American call centers with additional implementation options, company representatives stated.

Tim Critchley, Chief Executive Officer at Semafone, said in addition to helping call centers remove networks from PCI scope, the new suite of services will reduce total cost of ownership. "Complying with the PCI DSS is extremely complicated, costly and time-consuming for contact centers," he stated. "While Cardprotect ensures a company's entire infrastructure downstream of the solution is out of scope, we wanted to offer additional ways to reduce the complexity of securing and maintaining PCI controls upstream of our software." Cardprotect's patented solution uses dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) technology to mask keypad tones when customers input payment card data by phone, Critchley explained. DTMF technology disguises and screens sensitive data from customer service representatives, nearby eavesdroppers and call recording systems, he said.

"Cardprotect enables agents to view transactions in progress on their screens and hear monotones when customers input data," stated Graham Preedy, Product Manager at Semafone. "The captured data is held within Semafone's system and securely routed to the payment service provider." By removing payment card data from an agent's view, Cardprotect enables the agent and customer to remain in direct communication throughout an entire transaction lifecycle, while ensuring the data never touches the contact center's network, he added.

Flexible integration options

Semafone offers an extended menu of services and multiple approaches to implementation, Preedy noted. The solution, combined with the company's expertise in design, planning, implementation and management of PCI secure zones, helps call centers protect their networks and infrastructures. Cardprotect's flexible implementation options include the following:

Hosted solutions: Hosted solutions enable call centers to access Cardprotect through the Internet or payment gateways, without having to deploy hardware or software.
Payment Service Provider integration: Cardprotect's integration into numerous payment service providers directly transacting on behalf of call centers relieves the burden of PCI DSS compliance. The service also provides detailed transaction reporting.
Tokenization and vault integration: Cardprotect works with tokenization services and vaults, supporting many independent and third-party vaults. The solution supports all tokenization formats, including post-transaction tokens, single or multi-use, time-based expiration and format-preserved tokens. Semafone's experienced team helps customers determine the right tokenization process and fit for individual organizations.

Managed services

Cardprotect's Managed Customer-Premises Equipment (CPE) Services can be integrated with CRMs, web pages and network infrastructures. Service offerings include the following options:

Managed Session Border Controller (SBC): Semafone will locate Cardprotect upstream of the customer's telephone network, so the SBC only receives telephone traffic with card data removed. This takes the SBC completely out of scope for PCI DSS controls.
Managed Access: Semafone will implement a direct, secure and managed data connection to its system for all access traffic. This approach eliminates concern for VPN access and de-scopes the customer's firewall.
Managed Hardware: Semafone will supply, install and directly manage all on-site CPE elements, including the SBC. This can reduce time and expenses by eliminating the need to dedicate time, people and resources to these tasks.

Revenue and security optimizer

Cardprotect's customizable, managed services can help call centers protect resources and optimize revenue, Semafone representatives stated. The solution's fixed and predictable costs can also help companies manage operations, budget effectively and reduce capital expenditures.

Cardprotect enhances security across a call center's entire IP network, helping organizations protect against attacks by establishing PCI secure zones. Companies can selectively implement Cardprotect's SBC, firewall and hardware protection services, adapting and integrating available services according to their individual needs. end of article