The PCI Security Standards Council is an open global forum, launched in 2006, that is responsible for the development, management, education, and awareness of the PCI Security Standards, including the Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS), and PIN Transaction Security (PTS) requirements.

Now, after five years of pushing standards out to merchants and retailers, a Verizon study has found that 79% of retailers are noncompliant. That means your credit card data is at risk in 8 out of 10 transactions.

InformationWeek reports numerous reasons why credit and debit card data is at risk. The first is that the burden posed by PCI causes businesses to view PCI as a nuisance, rather than a standard. Instead of working towards better security, they shun it. (more…)