From card skimming attacks to insider theft, 2011 was a tough year for U.S. businesses, with many falling victim to massive network security breaches. Unfortunately, industry experts predict more of the same in 2012 due to the proliferation of Internet connectivity, mobile devices and Web applications.

However, there are ways to protect against this risk. Now that the holiday crunch is over, it’s a good time to determine where your business is with regard to information security technology and PCI compliance. Do you have the right policies and procedures in place to ensure customer information confidentiality, data integrity and user accountability? Resolve now to take more steps to secure sensitive cardholder data and prevent breaches this year. After all, the risks of non-compliance – such as fines, legal fees, decreases in stock equity and lost business – can far outweigh the cost of implementation.

Here are a few tips to better protect your business in 2012.

• PCI compliance is crucial to security efforts. Recent studies have shown that PCI-compliant companies experience less data breaches than those that are non-compliant. Many vendors offer an array of software and services for PCI compliance. Be sure to look for a security and compliance platform that covers as many of the 12 categories of the PCI standards as possible. That way, you can take a more holistic, integrated approach to securing your information and meeting compliance.
• Set clear business policies for your employees regarding the processing of credit/debit and payroll card data. Many security breaches actually happen within an organization, so it is critical that policies are clear to employees.
• Update staff regularly with new or different measures being used to ensure PCI compliance. Make sure that your employees are up-to-date with any changes that affect the security of the data you store or transmit. Require strong passwords and educate users on effective password management to minimize the risk of account takeovers.
• Keep records of how your business is complying with and validating PCI standards. Remember that you will be audited, and keeping good records will assure that your company remains in good standing.
• Develop a proactive plan to respond to any potential data breach and data loss incidents, minimizing the risk and impact to customers and business partners.

It’s important to remember that fraud can affect any company, regardless of size or industry. There is no “silver bullet” for data security, but by ensuring PCI compliance and staying abreast of changing guidelines, businesses can stay a step ahead in 2012.