In transactional print and mail, every workflow involving PII (personally identifiable information) or PHI (protected health information) must be secure and compliant. The first step is the transfer of data from your records to your vendor’s system. When considering a company to outsource transactional print and mail, you need to know what safeguards are in place. PCI Group ensures the security, compliance, and integrity of mail data processing with SECURE IT.
What Is SECURE IT?
SECURE IT is our proprietary file processing hub. Confidential data receives protection throughout its lifecycle, from initial upload to processing and composition, ending with output, archival, and deletion.
SECURE IT encompasses all the best practices for keeping transactional mail data safe, including compliance with SOC 1, SOC 2, HIPAA, HITRUST, FISMA, and PCI-DSS regulations.
The Principles of SECURE IT
There are three pillars that are the foundation for the SECURE IT hub. Let’s review how they work together to ensure security and compliance.
Data Security: Beyond Standard Encryption
The first rule of data security is encryption. Any file processing solution has this, but some only encrypt while data is in transit. SECURE IT encrypts while at rest, too. In addition to standard encryption, we keep your data safe by:
- Using full disk encryption, a hypervisor-level system backup
- Network segmentation, which divides a main network into smaller ones to compartmentalize and apply unique security controls to each
- Multi-factor authentication
- Installing email and network appliances that manage, monitor, and secure the flow of information to and from the internet
- Correlation of multiple network appliances and systems to prevent unauthorized distribution of sensitive information
Multi-Factor Authentication for Remote Access
As the need for flexibility in working conditions, remote access to systems is a common need for any organization. However, not all companies have robust controls for this.
For any access to SECURE IT, all users, internal or external, must use multi-factor authentication. Permission to log into it is solely available via TLS VPN (Transport Layer Security Virtual Private Network). Further, what they can access depends on their role.
File Transmission via SFTP
As noted, the first step in transaction print and mail is sending the data from your systems to ours. We recommend SFTP (Secure File Transmission Protocol). Transmitting information through SFTP is the most secure, and we also apply PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) encryption to files before processing.
When onboarding new customers, we collaborate with them to define file-naming standards for consistency.
Once we receive files and validate them in our secure network, production begins. We conduct multiple security tests when the files reach this part of the lifecycle.
How Does Transactional Mail Data Processing Work with SECURE IT?
Data processing for transactional mail is automated. Customers send different file types for production, including pre-composed or raw data. You have the option to upload data 24/7/365.
The automated processing routines follow all the protocols of file transmission, data processing, and archival. Those workflows include:
- Email confirmation at the receipt that notes the name, file size, and date
- Exception email notifications if there are any missing files
- The routing of files for immediate processing
- The creation of a PDF file for client review and approval
- Archiving and destroying input files based on business rules
- Delivery of secure PDF approvals to validate data
The PDFs noted above are all available for your review in trakPCI, a secure online business document management system. All clients have access to this portal to approve or reject, along with many other features related to tracking and reporting.
Learn More About SECURE IT
Download our product guide on SECURE IT here. If you have questions or are ready to chat about migrating your transactional mail to our team, contact us today.
