MUSCAT : Lulu Hypermarket Oman has received the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Certification of Compliance from Crossbow Labs, the leading Cyber security compliance and certification body, for prioritizing customer data security through its various cyber security initiatives. 

Lulu Group is one of the leading hypermarket chains in Oman to achieve the PCI DSS certification, which is one of the most stringent and comprehensive payment security certification standards in the world, in the retail sector. Shabeer K.A, Regional Director of Lulu Group, received the certification during the award ceremony held in Muscat. The standards ensure secure storage, transmission, and processing of data, aiming for better data security and privacy. The award is a result of Lulu’s rigorous security standards and its commitment to assure customers about the safety of their payment card data at all times across all its channels and stores. 

Commenting on the certification, Ananth A.V, Director – Oman, Sri Lanka and India of LuLu Group, explained, “with the evolution of technology, systems have become more vulnerable to external security threats. Hence protecting sensitive information becomes crucial to business growth and ensuring customer trust. The PCI DSS certification is proof of our commitment to provide our customers with maximum protection and to process all information at the highest possible security level. Our services adhere to PCI DSS requirements, offering our entire customer base an additional security boost. Independent experts regularly review our processes to ensure we uphold the PCI DSS compliance requirements.”

Speaking after the event, Shabeer K.A. said, “We are indeed honored to have received the PCI DSS certification. This certification is an enhancement on Lulu’s already robust security practices to prevent security breaches and payment card data theft and reaffirms the group’s commitment to data protection and security. This compliance helps protect our customer data and safeguard information in a secure environment through global standard for payment card security. This certification highlights the value we give to secure our customers’ sensitive data,” he added.

The PCI DCS is aimed at enhancing security for consumers by setting guidelines for any company that accepts, stores, processes, or transmits credit card information, regardless of the number of transactions or the size of those transactions. The PCI DSS is designed to provide necessary framework for developing a complete payment card data security process that encompasses the prevention, detection, and appropriate reaction to security incidents. An independent body created by Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and JCB, the PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) administers and manages the PCI DSS. Interestingly, the payment brands and acquirers are responsible for enforcing compliance, rather than the PCI SSC.