Tokyo-based information delivery platform KVH Co. launched the cloud service KVH PCI DSS Ready Cloud compliant with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), a proprietary information security standard for organizations handling cardholder information, in partnership with Link, Inc.

This service combines Link's PCI DSS compliant cloud service PCI DSS Ready Cloud and KVH Private Cloud, which offers dedicated IT computing environments including dedicated servers, switches and storage, as system infrastructure.

Online shopping with credit card payment continues to increase as online services and credit card point reward programs become more attractive and convenient. Japan's domestic business-to-consumer e-commerce market expanded to 9.5 trillion yen (US$90.88 billion) in 2012, representing an increase of 12.5% from the previous year. Furthermore, the emergence of services enabling smart-phones to be used as a credit card reader is also allowing small merchants to accept credit card payment regardless of the location.

Considering the high degree of confidentiality of credit card users' data when utilizing online payment services, PCI DSS has defined the system platform requirements for handling this confidential data, and organizations that handle credit card users' data are required by the government to be compliant to PCI DSS. Moreover, credit card clearing houses today face the challenge of staffing with sufficient experience and expertise to fully understand not only the PCI DSS requirements of the system platform but also the complexity and high costs required in building such a system.

KVH PCI DSS Ready Cloud, designed to address these issues with a system platform specialized for the credit card industry, offers resources necessary to complywith PCI DSS as a cloud service (PaaS) combining Link's experience and expertise on PCI DSS compliance. By leveraging KVH Private Cloud as the system platform, companies can implement their own dedicated environments that meet the strict industry standards faster, simpler, and at a lower cost without having significant investments on software and hardware.

Pricing for KVH PCI DSS Ready Cloud has a one-time installation fee of 1.8 million yen with a standard recurring monthly charge of 900,000 yen. Companies utilizing this service are able to reduce their installation costs to about one-fifth compared to using traditional environments, which would cost approximately 15 million yen in one-time fees and 1.2 million yen monthly charges. KVH PCI DSS Ready Cloud can be implemented in about three months, saving customers significant time and effort since traditional implementations normally take six months to one year and require lengthy negotiation and coordination with software and hardware vendors.

As an introductory campaign for those companies that subscribe to this service before June 30 2014, KVH is offering a reduced monthly recurring rate of 800,000 yen for the first six months after the service has been implemented.