NBK receives PCI-DSS Certification for Credit Card Fraud Prevention

KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) has received the Payment Card Industry (PCI) - Data Security Standards (DSS) Certification from the qualified security assessors, SISA to protect customers' credit cards from fraudulent acts and safeguard their personal data. SISA awarded NBK with the PCI 3.1 certification in a ceremony that took place in NBK's Head Office and presented to Dimitrios Kokosioulis, NBK's General Manager- Operations and Information Technology Group, in the presence of NBK officials.

NBK adopts the best, most-advanced practices in information security to protect customers from e-frauds that are remarkably on the rise regionally and globally. NBK has constant strive to invest in its IT systems to cope with the industry's fast changing requirements and provide its customers with utmost security at all times. PCI-DSS is mandated by the credit card industry such as VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and JCB. Banking institutes are requested to conform to the data security standards to effectively protect cardholders' personal card data.

Compliance verification and implementation of the safety standards should be held on an annual basis by the qualified security assessors. After each successful valuation, the customer receives a standards compliance certificate, as well as performance report. Commenting on this breakthrough, Kokosioulis said that this recognition confirms NBK's commitment to introduce and deploy the best, most-advanced security systems that guards customers' protection against fraud when using their credit cards. He stated that this accreditation translates NBK's commitment and dedication to its values, when it comes to information security and innovation, in its aim to provide customers with the safest banking experience ever.

He added that maintaining the safety of data and banking systems are one of its top priorities. Having said that, NBK exerts all efforts to upgrade its IT infrastructure and deploy the latest and best practices by an expert team, aspiring to stay up-to-date in the industry and provide the best banking services and products to customers without compromising on safety. Kokosioulis concluded by saying, "The first verification phase of the current PCI-DSS 3.1 certification is completed. The new PCI-DSS 3.2 will be NBK's goal for the year 2017-2018." This certification affirms NBK's leadership in deploying the latest security technologies along with the best qualified experts and advanced programs. In addition, NBK constantly strives to update its staff and customers with the latest security advancements and trends to protect them from fraud.