SoftBrands Technology Solutions Receive Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and Payment Application Best Practices (PABP) Certification. Compliance Demonstrates Commitment to Information Security.

MINNEAPOLIS, SoftBrands, Inc. (AMEX:SBN) , a global upplier of enterprise application software, today announced that its leading hospitality technology solutions have been certified as meeting the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS) and Payment Application Best Practices (PABP) for credit card processing. Current versions of SoftBrands’ Epitome property management system (PMS), Medallion PMS and Core central reservation system (CRS) are compliant with PCI DSS and PABP requirements, helping to ensure the security of customer information. As a result of receiving PABP validation, SoftBrands is now listed on the Visa web site as a PCI DSS compliant service provider.

“By ensuring that our product development is consistent with the current data security standards established by the payment card industry, SoftBrands is reinforcing our ongoing commitment to providing strong security minded and technologically competitive products to our valued customer base,” said Kelly Stephen, vice president of global products, SoftBrands Hospitality.

SoftBrands’ PMS and CRS solutions were assessed and certified by Trustwave, an independent information security and compliance consultant. This certification includes Epitome.NET PMS version 4.03, Epitome for Windows PMS version 3.04, Medallion PMS version 1047 and Core CRS version 2.7. SoftBrands was added to the list of PCI DSS compliant service providers on Visa’s web site on Nov. 15; that list is available here.

The PCI DSS is a set of comprehensive requirements for enhancing payment account data security. Developed jointly by American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB International, MasterCard Worldwide and Visa Inc. International, the PCI DSS is designed to help facilitate the broad adoption of consistent data security measures on a global basis. This multifaceted security standard includes requirements for security management, policies, procedures, network architecture, software design and other critical protective measures. The comprehensive standard is intended to help organizations proactively protect customer account data.

Visa developed the PABP to assist software vendors in creating secure payment applications that help merchants and agents mitigate compromises, prevent storage of sensitive cardholder data and support overall compliance with the PCI DSS. The requirements for PABP are derived from the PCI DSS.

About SoftBrands Hospitality | SoftBrands Hospitality (www.softbrands.com/hospitality) provides central reservation, property management and business intelligence software that can be centrally managed to support many properties within a hotel chain, as well as less complex offerings that can be installed on site at an independent hotel. SoftBrands distribution service, Karyon, allows hotels to easily manage rates and inventory availability across all four Global Distribution Systems and many other online sources of demand. SoftBrands is committed to the hospitality industry, and is an active member of OTA, HTNG, HSMAI, HFTP, HEDNA, AH&LA, AAHOA & PHMA.

About SoftBrands | SoftBrands, Inc. is a leader in providing software solutions for businesses in the manufacturing and hospitality industries worldwide. The company has established a global infrastructure for distribution, development and support of enterprise software, and has approximately 5,000 customers in more than 100 countries actively using its manufacturing and hospitality products. SoftBrands, which has approximately 800 employees, is headquartered in Minneapolis with branch offices in Europe, India, Asia, Australia and Africa. Additional information can be found at www.softbrands.com.

EDITORS FOOTNOTE: Our team works closely with SoftBrands customers to provide merchant payment processing solutions that minimize chargebacks and reduce overall payment processing costs.

Acquisition to Fuel Global Growth in Hospitality and Retail Market Segments
ATLANTA–(Business Wire)–NOVA Information Systems (NOVA), a wholly owned subsidiary of U.S.
Bancorp (NYSE: USB), today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase Southern DataComm (SDC), a payment software and gateway services provider based in Largo, Florida. The deal is expected to close in early February.

“The addition of Southern DataComm’s solutions offering to our global acquiring business results in a true end-to-end solution offering that is unmatched in the industry,” said Stuart C. Harvey,
Jr., president, NOVA. “Their experience in the hospitality and multi-lane retail markets, combined with NOVA’s recent completion of an International Processing Platform, will allow us to more quickly
develop and deliver a best-in-class hosted global gateway platform.”

Southern DataComm was founded in 1985 by Gary Eng, president. The company has built a solid reputation in the U.S. payments industry, serving more than 50,000 merchants. Additionally, hundreds of value-added resellers (VARs) have certified their systems to connect through Southern DataComm, supporting a strong one-to-many value proposition. Annually, more than $50 billion travels through its gateway switch, which supports 200 interface modules, helping connect merchants to their choice of acquirers and processors.

“We have a strong reputation as a trusted provider of secure, robust and flexible solutions for our clients,” said Gary Eng. “We look forward to exploring new global opportunities with NOVA, while maintaining our valuable position as an independent single-source solution provider to merchants, POS providers, VARs, ISOs and acquirers.”

FOOTNOTES:
The deal was completed in February 2008. Read more about our own penetration into the hospitality market.

NOVA becomes Elavon in 2008, marketing as a new brand for a new global era. North America and Europe business lines align under one Global Acquiring Solutions organization. In 2008, NOVA acquired Southern DataComm.

Elavon’s Global Acquiring Solutions organization (formerly known as NOVA Information Systems in the U.S. and euroConex in Europe) is part of U.S. Bank’s Payment Services division.