SoundBite Communications Achieves Annual PCI Compliance

SoundBite Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: SDBT ) today announced its compliance as a service provider under the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). Compliance with this industry standard demonstrates SoundBite’s ongoing commitment to protecting cardholder data and provides independent validation that SoundBite’s technology is adhering to the payment card industry’s rigorous security standards. SoundBite is proud to be the only proactive customer communications provider listed as a PCI Compliant service provider, a key requirement for working with financial institutions, card issuers and retailers. A full listing of compliant service providers can be found here.

Under the PCI Data Security Standard, in order to be considered compliant, a service provider must demonstrate that it has controls, procedures and technology in place that cover the 12 PCI DSS requirements in categories such as building and maintaining a secure network, protecting cardholder data, maintaining a vulnerability management program and maintaining an information security policy. SoundBite demonstrated its compliance by successfully undergoing a stringent, on-site PCI data security review conducted by an independent Qualified Security Assessor. This independent review is conducted annually and is required of any Level 1 service provider. The Level 1 category is defined as any service provider or payment gateway that stores, processes, or transmits more than one million payment transactions annually.

"Ensuring that our clients’ sensitive data is protected is of paramount importance to SoundBite and we are pleased to receive independent, third-party verification from the PCI Data Security Standards Council that our IT security policies and practices meet the highest standards in the industry," said Ed Gardner, Director of Security and Compliance at SoundBite Communications. "With the real world concerns about data fraud and identity theft, it is vital that organizations work with service providers that adhere to the highest security standards or else they are opening themselves up to the kind of risk that could mortally wound their business."

This latest milestone in SoundBite’s ongoing security strategy demonstrates that the on-demand provider supports and meets all best practices and requirements developed by the PCI Security Standards Council to protect sensitive payment card information from being compromised. Many of SoundBite’s premier clients include financial institutions, credit card issuers, retailers and other secure enterprises that process cardholder information. More frequently those clients are asking SoundBite to manage a larger part of these transactions and compliance with the PCI DSS has enhanced the company’s ability to conduct more complex proactive customer communications campaigns and support fully automated payment transactions through SoundBite’s payment solution.

About SoundBite Communications
SoundBite Communications provides on-demand, integrated multi-channel communications solutions that enable clients to achieve superior business results. Building on its foundation as a leading provider of automated voice messaging services, SoundBite offers integrated voice, text and email messaging solutions that help clients deliver the right message, to the right customer, using the right channel, at the right time. Organizations in industries such as collections, financial services, retail, telecom and media, and utilities rely on the SoundBite Intelligent Communications Platform to send over a billion messages annually for collections, customer care, and sales and marketing applications. For more information, visit http://www.SoundBite.com.