The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) sets and maintains the security standards for payment processing that are required in an era which sees an unprecedented level of cyber criminal activity.

Card processor RBS Worldpay have been put in a difficult position after Visa reached the decision to take away their industry card payment security certification (standards set to minimise the biggest security issues) following data breaches.

Visa has taken the Royal Bank of Scotland Group’s RBS Worldpay off its list of PCI-DSS compliant service providers since RBS Worldpay was hit by a hack, which the FBI said led to a million dollar ATM scam.

It means the Worldpay are no longer considered compliant by the Standards Council, PCI SSC, created by Visa and other leading card issuers. These are the gold standard of technical requirements created to help organisations that process card payments prevent credit card fraud, hacking and other security vulnerabilities.

Companies which are found to be noncompliant with PCI rules face fines of up to £70,600 a month or could see an end to their relationships with the big payment and credit card firms.