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Hotel Concepts Leads PMS Vendors with Validation of Implementation
of Payment Application Best Practices for Merchant CISP

Validated Payment Applications Provide Hoteliers the Foundation for PCI Compliance
and Enhanced Credit Card Security for Hotel Guests


ATLANTA � MARCH 13, 2008 � Hotel Concepts, a leading global provider of property management/CRS technology solutions, today announced that they have become one of the first property management system (PMS) vendors to achieve Cardholder Information Security Program (CISP) validation, following the recommendations of the Payment Application Best Practices (PABP) program. By following PABP, Hotel Concepts PMS is capable of delivering secure payment applications; minimizing the potential for security breaches that could lead to compromises of credit card information and preventing damaging fraud.

Led by Coalfire Systems, Inc., a Colorado-based certified PABP assessor, the verification process assists software vendors in creating PABP-compliant applications that help merchants mitigate compromises, prevent storage of prohibited data, and support overall compliance with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS).  Conversely, merchants using payment applications that store prohibited data have inherent security weaknesses, and will not be compliant with the PCI DSS, leaving them at high risk. 

Beginning January 1, 2008, Visa will begin the implementation of mandates, eliminating the use of vulnerable payment applications from the Visa payment platform. The Visa U.S.A. Inc. Operating Regulations mandate acquirers comply- and ensure their merchants comply- with the requirements of CISP.  

�Achieving PABP verification for our IDPMS suite of hospitality software allows us to help our clients achieve CISP compliance and provide a non-vulnerable, secure payment application for our product,� stated Erik Weller, COO for Hotel Concepts. �Merchants must begin to address PCI compliance as a requirement for business. By choosing Hotel Concepts as their IDPMS vendor, hotels can now comply with that requirement and take the best possible approach to eliminating the vulnerability of cardholder data. I am proud we are one of the few validated companies that is able to address this need for our clients.�

The Hotel Concepts PMS system meets all of the 14 recommendations requiring the protection and security of private financial data and credit-card information, including encryption, access control, physical security, and operational audits. The PABP program requires annual confirmation of validation, ensuring Hotel Concepts� ongoing commitment to deliver secure applications and helping merchants comply with CISP. 

"Hotel Concepts� IDPMS v3.12 recently was PABP validated by Coalfire Systems, Inc., a Payment Card Industry (PCI) Qualified Payment Application Security Company (QPASC),� stated Ryan McGowan, security account manager for Coalfire Systems. �This validation signifies Hotel Concepts� commitment to data security and will assist HC clients currently running IDPMS v3.12 in achieving compliance with the PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)."

About Hotel Concepts
Hotel Concepts provides advanced property management and central reservations software to the hospitality industry worldwide, with innovative solutions designed for individual properties as well as hotel chains and management companies. Founded in 1994, Hotel Concepts has proven to be a reliable partner, both for individual hotels and hotel chains. With four main offices on three continents, worldwide support is guaranteed. North American Sales and Support are located in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Hotel Concepts� products are installed around the world in individual hotels and chains alike, and have a great variety of dedicated users ranging from individual hotels with 20 rooms to chain-hotels with more than 500 rooms. The company�s client base includes properties in both the business and leisure categories, as well as conference centers. For more information, please contact Jason Cape at 1-866-687-0040 for the USA; Diederick Vollenga at +31 76 530 5353 for Europe or visit www.hotelconcepts.com.

About Coalfire Systems 
The Coalfire Systems, Inc. team members are specialists in IT audit, information security and regulatory compliance. Coalfire's expertise includes risk management programs for compliance to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, Sarbanes Oxley, HIPAA, VISA CISP (PCI) and other security-related regulations and industry initiatives.

Coalfire's methodology and tools have been validated by over 1,500 of security assessments and audits at government, financial and healthcare organizations to help ensure they meet industry best practices and regulatory requirements under a balanced program that serves the organization's operational requirements and budget considerations. For more information please call or visit 206-352-6028 www.coalfiresystems.com.

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Contact:

Erik Weller, COO
Hotel Concepts Netherlands
Tel: +31 (0) 76 530 53 53
[email protected]

 Jason Cape � Sales Manager
Hotel Concepts USA LLC
Tel: 404-687-0040
[email protected]
 

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