This archive report was first published on 23 August 2019.
On August 23, 2019, Africa Data Centres Nairobi (formerly East Africa Data Centre) made history by becoming the first neutral data centre in Nairobi to achieve Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliance.
This milestone achievement, coupled with its existing Uptime Institute Tier III and ISO 27001 certifications, positions Africa Data Centres Nairobi as a leader in data centre security and compliance in East Africa.
According to Stephane Duproz, CEO of Africa Data Centres, the Nairobi facility now meets all necessary security requirements prescribed by PCI DSS, ensuring that customers can trust the centre for secure support of all credit card transactions processed online.
‘Our Nairobi Africa Data Centre facility now meets all of the necessary security requirements prescribed by the PCI DSS,’ Duproz said. ‘This means that over and above the access controls for our actual facility, we are PCI compliant and able to offer our customers trusted and secure support for all credit card transactions processed online.’
PCI DSS aims to lower the risk of debit and credit card data loss in the event of a security incident. ‘It provides standards for how breaches can be prevented and detected, and how to react in the event of a security incident. It also provides protection for merchants and cardholders alike, and reassures customers that a Web site is safe and secure,’ Duproz explained.
For Dan Kwach, General Manager East Africa for Africa Data Centres, compliance is not just a tickbox exercise, but a key aspect of the company’s success. ‘At Africa Data Centres, we believe that facilitating an environment where security and compliance are integral to everything we do, and not simply another hassle, is key to our success. When it comes to security, every standard and measure helps, and while there is no silver bullet, ongoing compliance checks when done appropriately help to harden the environment, and improve the security posture of the facility as a whole.’
PCI DSS standards were created in 2004 by the founding members of the PCI Security Standards Council to keep the growing number of high-profile security breaches in check.
