2024 Security Policy

PCI Compliance and Encryption & Tokenization

To provide the best security for its customers, Ohio Mulch has deployed and industry leading point-to-point encryption and data storage solution for each school’s payment processor. This solution is fully PCI DSS compliant.

In this solution, cardholder data is encrypted from the point of input, whether through encrypted swipe, virtual terminal, or secure data transport. This eliminates the possibility of data thieves compromising the input of sensitive information to steal data. When the encrypted data is sent to the provider, the payment is transferred to the processor. The encrypted content is stored in the provider’s secure data stores and Ohio Mulch only receives a token, representing the transaction, to allow Ohio Mulch to conduct any necessary reporting. In this way, card holder data is never received, stored or transmitted by Ohio Mulch infrastructure.

As an added level of security Ohio Mulch leverages ”tokenization” technology to further protect school payments. Tokenization is the process of replacing sensitive data, such as credit card or ACH data, with tokens that have no value to criminals. Employing industry leading technologies, our solution replaces the existing payment card, ACH and other sensitive payment data with valueless data tokens. These tokens allow Ohio Mulch to initiate transactions in the same manner as they would use their previously stored data, but without the risk of data compromise.

SSL Certificates

Ohio Mulch leverages Starfield Technologies SSL certificates to ensure that all sensitive transactions are kept securely encrypted and safe. An SSL certificate is a digital certificate that authenticates the identity of a website to visiting browsers and encrypts information for the server via Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology. A certificate serves as an electronic “passport” that establishes an online entity’s credentials when doing business on the Web. When an Internet user attempts to send confidential information to a Web server, the user’s browser will access the server’s digital certificate and establish a secure connection.

SSL Certificates provide secure, safe and convenient Internet purchasing. Once an Internet user enters a secure area by entering credit card information, e-mail address or other personal data, website’s SSL certificate enables the browser and Web server to build a secure, encrypted connection. The SSL “handshake” process, which establishes the secure session, takes place discreetly behind the scenes, ensuring an uninterrupted shopping experience for the consumer.