Bridge Point and ControlScan form PCI strategic partnership in Australian marketplace

Brisbane, Australia, 24 April, 2013 – A new strategic alliance between Bridge Point Communications and ControlScan promises to deliver a full suite of payment card industry (PCI) compliance and data security solutions to help Australian acquirers and merchant service providers greatly improve the security posture and PCI compliance rates of the large, small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) they serve.

In the U.S. marketplace, Atlanta-based ControlScan is recognised for its expertise in helping SMBs understand, navigate and complete their obligations of the PCI Data Security Standard (DSS). The company’s PCI 1-2-3 solution is utilised by more than 120 acquiring banks, payment processors and independent sales organisations (ISOs), reaching a total SMB merchant base that exceeds 1 million businesses.

Headquartered in Brisbane with national coverage, Bridge Point is one of Australia's leading providers of information security and network integration services. Bridge Point’s Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) practice includes a team of highly experienced Payment Card Industry Qualified Security Assessors (PCI QSAs). As data network and information security experts with a wealth of industry experience, the company has a deep understanding of the unique challenges and requirements of building secure, world-class networks. In addition, Bridge Point was the first IT company in Australia to achieve certification to ISO 27001, the premier standard for information security management.

“Like the U.S., the Australian marketplace has a great need for education and services that make small-business data security both understandable and achievable,” said Jethro Felton, Executive Vice President, Sales and Business Development, ControlScan. “Our partnership with Bridge Point significantly enhances the security conversation between merchant service providers and small business owners throughout Australia.”

“Data security breaches continue to plague small business owners in Australia,” said Tim Smith, Director, Bridge Point Communications. “By adding ControlScan’s PCI 1-2-3 to our GRC services, we now have a one-stop solution for merchant service providers seeking to decrease risk by increasing their merchants’ security posture.

“According to the Council of Small Business of Australia (COSBOA), 96% of businesses in Australia are small businesses. Bridge Point is pleased it can now cater to the SMB market and provide a complete end-to-end service. The solution is tailored to the Australian market and we will offer it as a portal-based subscription service, making it cost effective and accessible for SMBs to become compliant. It should also be noted that the ControlScan PCI 1-2-3 service is not just limited to SMBs. Bridge Point has tailored the service to a point where it has huge benefits to large enterprise customers as well.

“Bridge Point is one of the few Australian companies approved by the PCI Security Standards Council as a QSA. Bridge Point is unique in this marketplace in that we are liaising directly with the merchants as well as acquirers.”

Achieving PCI compliance is as easy as 1-2-3

ControlScan's PCI 1-2-3 compliance solution (www.bridgepoint.com.au/controlscan) makes it easier to meet PCI DSS requirements and protect customers’ important information. It provides the leading tools and support necessary to analyse, remediate and validate PCI compliance, including a self assessment questionnaire, network vulnerability scans, custom security policies and security awareness training. Support is available via telephone, email or online chat.

For more information about Bridge Point and ControlScan, and their respective solutions, please visit www.bridgepoint.com.au and www.controlscan.com.

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About Bridge Point Communications

Bridge Point provides expertise and solutions in the areas of Information Security, Networking and Data Management with specialisations in Compliance and Critical Infrastructure. Bridge Point has developed strategic partnerships with leading security, networking and data storage vendors including Cisco, Check Point, ControlScan, F5, NetApp, RSA and Sourcefire.

Established in 2000, Bridge Point serves customers across Australia from its offices in Brisbane and Sydney. In 2011, Bridge Point merged with Server Central to strengthen its Data Management offering with storage, compute and virtualisation capabilities. Bridge Point is a QSA as part of the PCI DSS and was the first IT company in Australia to achieve certification to ISO 27001. www.bridgepoint.com.au

About ControlScan

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, ControlScan delivers payment security and compliance solutions to a global network of payment service providers and the merchants they serve. The company’s innovative approach to secure hosted payment and PCI compliance solutions leverages technology, education and services to provide flexible options for its customers. Known for its thought leadership, ControlScan gives its customers a clear view of marketplace issues and trends so they can remain competitive.

 For more information about ControlScan, please visit www.controlscan.com or call +1-678-534-3262.