US consumers spent more than $500 billion on eCommerce sites last year. Amazon controls almost half the market. Other retailers must battle it out for customers’ dollars.
Many factors encourage customers to buy from a site. Most emphasize trust and security standards. They also want options for online payments.
At the center of these concerns are the Payment Card Industry’s standards for cardholder data. PCI compliance improves security when you accept debit card and credit card payments.
If you run an eCommerce site, you’re not the only one who needs to be compliant. That’s why you need PCI-compliant web hosting.
In this guide, we’ll look at some of the requirements for hosting that’s compliant with the PCI standards. We’ll also explore three of the top providers for compliant hosting.
What to Look for in PCI-Compliant Web Hosting
As you search for a hosting environment, keep your own responsibilities in mind.
Finding a web hosting provider who complies with the PCI standards is just one of the many steps you’ll need to take. You’ll still need to address issues such as how your company stores credit card data.
You’ll likely need to adopt a payment gateway to meet the PCI security standards. You also have to create and maintain your own information management policies. An assessment questionnaire can help you find the holes in your PCI compliance program.
As a service provider, your web host must do their part as well. When someone buys through your site, your host also touches their payment information. The hosting service you choose has to take the right precautions.
You’ll want to look for PCI-compliant web hosting that:
- Keeps their system and network up to date with the latest server security
- Maintains a management program to deal with security vulnerabilities
- Implements strong access control measures to prevent unauthorized access to data
- Creates and updates a security policy for information
You’ll need to mirror these efforts in your own company.
With this in mind, which hosting providers are the best of the best when it comes to providing compliance? We’ve picked these three as your best bets.
1. Liquidweb Tops List for PCI Compliant Web Hosting
When it comes to finding PCI-compliant hosting for your eCommerce site, you won’t go wrong with Liquid Web.
This hosting provider understands the importance of protecting payment card industry data. One of the services their expert team offers is designing PCI-compliant servers. Whether you need to secure a site or an app, their knowledgeable technicians are up to the task.
Liquid Web claims the top spot because they go one step further for their clients. When you sign up with them, you can also select their quarterly scanning service. During the PCI compliance scan, they’ll update your site and resolve new vulnerabilities.
They’ve partnered with Approved Scanning Vendors to supply on-demand PCI scans. With each scan, you’ll get three reports. This includes your attestation of compliance.
Liquid Web fully manages this service, which means their team “will help correct the problem and re-scan if necessary.”
If you need to handle card numbers or credit card data, this host can help you go beyond compliance. Protecting cardholder data has never been so easy.
CHECK YOUR SITES SECURITY SCORE FOR PCI COMPLIANCE
• Find Vulnerabilities in the Code
• Detect Malware Infections
• Check Website Encryption
2. InMotion Hosting Offers PCI Compliance Guidance
InMotion doesn’t bill its services as PCI-compliant hosting. However, their team does offer advice for becoming PCI compliant with the security standard PCI-DSS. Their support page states;
“InMotion Hosting is happy to review the results of the compliance report and help you affect the needed changes.
In most cases, the compliance report will arrive as a PDF document. All you will need to is submit this document alongside a ticket request to our Live Support team.”
Their support center goes over PCI-DSS compliance and gives tips for passing quarterly PCI scans. One of their tips is closing open ports. This points to not only a hosting provider who takes PCI compliance seriously but one who knows their way around the security standards.
What makes InMotion stand out is the security features it offers. A free SSL certificate is included in your hosting package. This measure can help you meet encryption requirements for payment card industry data security.
Additional security features offered include automatic backups. A backup can restore your site if it happens to be compromised.
InMotion also includes DDoS protection for sites. A distributed denial-of-service attack occurs when an attacker gains control over Internet-connected devices. They then use those devices to flood servers or networks with traffic.
This overwhelms the infrastructure of the network. The server may go down, taking your site with it. InMotion’s security systems help ensure uptime, even in the event of a DDoS attack.
CHECK YOUR SITES SECURITY SCORE FOR PCI COMPLIANCE
• Find Vulnerabilities in the Code
• Detect Malware Infections
• Check Website Encryption
eCommerce Options
InMotion does more than offer security, though. They also offer some great features for eCommerce sites like yours. An example is one-click shopping carts, which can be added to your site.
InMotion offers six WordPress plans, each one tailored to meet your site needs. Whether you’re starting out or growing a successful business, they have a PCI-compliant plan for you.
3. WP Engine Provides PCI-Compliant Hosting Environments
WP Engine offers PCI-compliant hosting environments, which are essential for businesses that handle sensitive payment data. While WP Engine doesn’t advertise its hosting as fully PCI-compliant by default, their platform supports enterprise-level PCI compliance by ensuring that their infrastructure meets the necessary security standards outlined in the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).
According to WP Engine’s team, their enterprise-level solutions meet the technical requirements to help you achieve PCI compliance. Their support includes guidance on properly configuring your site to pass PCI scans and adhering to the PCI DSS regulations. Their team can work with you to review your compliance reports and assist with any necessary adjustments.
WP Engine goes beyond simply providing PCI-compliant environments—they offer a host of built-in security features that make compliance easier. For example, all WP Engine hosting plans include free SSL certificates, which are vital for encrypting sensitive payment information and meeting the encryption requirements set forth by PCI DSS.
Additionally, WP Engine’s security architecture includes advanced features such as automated backups and disaster recovery options, which can help restore your site in case of a security breach. Their infrastructure also includes DDoS protection to safeguard your site from distributed denial-of-service attacks, ensuring consistent uptime even during attacks.
eCommerce Solutions
WP Engine also offers robust eCommerce solutions, especially for those running online stores through WordPress and WooCommerce. Their platform supports fast and secure transactions, with one-click installations for eCommerce plugins, allowing businesses to easily set up shopping carts and payment processing. WP Engine provides a range of managed hosting plans that scale with your business, ensuring that you have the infrastructure needed to maintain PCI compliance as your site grows.
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Great Design & Hosting Work Together
Finding PCI-compliant web hosting doesn’t need to be like finding a needle in a haystack. These three PCI-compliant providers are some of the best.
Of course, finding the right hosting isn’t the only step you’ll need to take. Great design also supports security standards and compliance.
If you think your site is due for an overhaul, get in touch with us. We can help you improve security and exceed even the highest security standards.
