Alertsite Achieves Certification to Help Online Merchants Control Credit Card Fraud

AlertSite Security Vulnerability Scan Successfully Completes MasterCard SDP Compliance Testing

COCONUT CREEK, FLA. - September 26, 2005 - AlertSite, a leading provider of web performance measurement, systems monitoring and security vulnerability scanning products and services, today announced it has successfully completed vigorous testing to become a certified and authorized vendor for the MasterCard Site Data Protection (SDP) program. AlertSite's Security Vulnerability Scan is now certified to evaluate the security of IT systems that store cardholder account information for online retailers. AlertSite's service will help retailers ensure they are complying with the MasterCard Security Standard.

As an SDP-compliant vendor, AlertSite can provide level one, two and three-class retailers with this scan and proactively pinpoint areas of non-compliance. Retailers who fail to comply with the security standards may face fines, restrictions or permanent prohibition from participating in the card acceptance programs. Visa, American Express and Discover will accept scans performed by scan vendors that have been qualified by MasterCard and will deem a merchant who passes AlertSite's testing as Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI) compliant.

"Ensuring consumer confidence in online transactions is critical to any retailer that offers a web-based storefront," said Ken Gross, president and CEO of AlertSite. "AlertSite's hosted monitoring and security products already help thousands of companies worldwide ensure that their key online services are available, performing well and secure. We are proud to partner with the credit card industry to assist merchants in achieving PCI compliance."

The MasterCard SDP Program

The MasterCard SDP program is designed to help retailers proactively protect against malicious attacks or account data compromises. The SDP Program seeks to accomplish this by identifying vulnerabilities in security processes, procedures and web site configurations. A key focus of the SDP Program is to ensure that merchants are securely storing MasterCard account data in accordance with the PCI Data Security Standard.

Retailers should follow the following four step process:

  1. Identify the level classification in the SDP Program
  2. Review the PCI documentation, validation tools and procedures
  3. Engage an approved vendor, as appropriate, and follow the validation procedures
  4. Share completed compliance materials with acquirer. Once compliance has been successfully demonstrated, MasterCard will register retailers' status on an annual basis.

ABOUT ALERTSITE

AlertSite is a leading provider of web performance measurement, systems monitoring and security vulnerability scanning products and services that ensure a customer's critical web-based services are always available and run at peak performance. AlertSite's range of hosted Internet services benefits all types and sizes of business and organizations.

  • AlertSite Monitoring Suite
  • AlertSite Security Vulnerability Scan
  • AlertSite Systems Monitor
  • AlertSite Web Load Test

Over 1,500 customers worldwide rely on AlertSite to understand and enhance the end-user web experience, including AT&T, Honda UK, Goodwill, National Institutes of Health and Symantec. Founded in 1998, AlertSite is based in Coconut Creek, FL and is available online at www.alertsite.com.

CONTACT:
Mike Lizun
Gregory FCA
Main: 610-642-8253, ext. 113
Mobile: 610-585-7594
Mike@GregoryFCA.com