PCI DSS Compliance in the MENA Region: How Globalscape MFT Supports Healthcare and Finance Standards
- admin
- Oct 3
- 3 min read
Introduction to Industry Compliance
In today’s digital-first era, compliance is no longer just a regulation, it's the foundation of business continuity and trust. Industries such as healthcare and finance face increasing pressure to protect sensitive data and comply with strict standards.
According to IBM’s 2024 Cost of a Data Breach Report, the global average cost of a breach reached $4.45 million, while in the MENA region, that number climbed to $8.07 million per breach. In this landscape, ensuring compliance is critical for protecting clients’ data and maintaining industry credibility.
Why Compliance Matters Across Industries
Compliance builds trust and credibility while minimizing regulatory risks. For healthcare providers, it safeguards patient confidentiality under HIPAA. For financial institutions, it ensures data security through frameworks like PCI DSS. In the MENA region, where digital transformation is accelerating at over 20% CAGR, businesses face increasing scrutiny from regulators.
Failure to maintain PCI DSS compliance can result in fines of up to $500,000 per incident and even suspension of card payment processing serious risks that organizations must proactively address.
Understanding Globalscape MFT
What is Managed File Transfer (MFT)?
Managed File Transfer (MFT) is the secure way to transmit sensitive data. With Globalscape MFT, organizations can share large files reliably while maintaining full compliance with industry regulations.
Why Global E-Director Chooses Globalscape
Global E-Director, as a distributor of Globalscape MFT, provides its MENA-based partners with:
Secure File Transfer using AES-256 encryption and advanced protocols like SFTP and FTPS.
Centralized Oversight to manage compliance across multiple countries.
Audit-Ready Reports that help reduce inspection times by up to 70%.
Automated Workflows that cut human error, which accounts for 82% of breaches, according to Verizon.
Healthcare Industry Compliance
HIPAA Requirements for Healthcare Data
In 2023 alone, U.S. regulators issued over $120 million in HIPAA fines. In the MENA region, healthcare providers are under additional pressure as medical tourism and telemedicine expand.
How Globalscape MFT Ensures HIPAA Compliance
Encrypted Transfers: Ensuring secure movement of PHI between hospitals and labs.
Role-based Access: Restricting sensitive health data to authorized medical staff.
Regional Oversight: Centralized compliance monitoring across hospitals in countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Finance Industry Compliance
Regulatory Standards in Finance
The financial sector is one of the most targeted by cybercrime, costing banks an average of $18.3 million annually per company. In the MENA region, regulators like the Central Bank of UAE mandate advanced controls for financial transactions.
How Global E-Director Ensures Compliance
With Globalscape MFT, Global E-Director supports financial institutions by:
Achieving PCI Compliance Certification: Encrypting cardholder data and enforcing authentication.
Providing Complete Audit Trails: Every file movement is logged for transparency.
Supporting Cross-Border Operations: Ensuring compliance with both local and global finance regulations.
PCI DSS Compliance Explained
What is PCI DSS?
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard is a global benchmark that applies to over 22 million merchants worldwide. It ensures sensitive payment data is secured during processing, storage, and transmission.
Importance of PCI Compliance Certification
PCI DSS non-compliance costs businesses between $5,000 and $100,000 per month in fines. In MENA’s booming digital payments market expected to reach $346 billion by 2030 compliance is essential.
How Globalscape MFT Helps Organizations Stay PCI DSS Compliant
End-to-End Encryption: Protecting payment data from interception.
Authentication Controls: Enforcing multi-factor authentication for access.
Centralized Compliance Management: Ensuring PCI DSS policies are applied consistently across operations.
Benefits of Globalscape MFT
Efficient File Transfers
From medical imaging to financial statements, Globalscape enables clients to share large files securely without delays.
Enhanced Security and Risk Reduction
With encryption, automation and centralized reporting, clients see a 90% reduction in compliance risks compared to manual file transfers.
Scalability for Regional Growth
As MENA businesses expand digitally, Globalscape MFT scales to meet compliance requirements across multiple jurisdictions.
Common Use CasesÂ
Healthcare: Enabling secure transfer of MRI scans between hospitals in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Finance: Sharing cross-border financial data while meeting PCI DSS standards.
E-commerce: Protecting customer payment data in the region’s fast-growing online retail sector.
Best Practices for Compliance with Globalscape MFT
Conduct Quarterly Security Audits: Regular audits can reduce risks by 50%.
Train Employees: With 74% of breaches caused by human error, training is vital.
Leverage Central Oversight: Use Global E-Director’s compliance frameworks to enforce consistent security policies across all branches.
Conclusion
For businesses in the MENA region, compliance isn’t just about ticking boxes, it's about securing data, protecting customers and staying competitive.
As a distributor of Globalscape MFT, Global E-Director delivers secure file transfer solutions, audit-ready reports, and policy-driven governance that help organizations stay compliant with HIPAA, PCI DSS and financial regulations. Whether it’s enabling PCI compliance certification or helping businesses share large files safely, Global E-Director empowers organizations across the MENA region to meet today’s toughest compliance challenges head-on.