The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of security standards designed to protect cardholder data. It is enforced by the PCI Security Standards Council (SSC), an independent body comprised of the 5 major Card Associations: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover and JCB.
The PCI DSS has 12 requirements, which are divided into 6 control objectives:
- Physical security (objective 1): Protect cardholder data from unauthorized physical access, use, disclosure, modification, or destruction.
- Network security (objective 2): Protect cardholder data in transit and storage.
- Access control (objective 3): Limit access to cardholder data to authorized personnel only.
- Data security (objective 4): Protect cardholder data from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification, or destruction while it is being processed, stored, or transmitted.
- Awareness and training (objective 5): Train all personnel on the importance of cardholder data security.
- Incident response (objective 6): Have procedures in place to identify, respond to, and report data breaches.
The PCI DSS requirements are designed to be comprehensive and flexible, so they can be applied to businesses of all sizes and industries. The specific requirements that a business must comply with will depend on its merchant level, which is determined by the volume of card transactions it processes.
There are a number of resources available to help businesses comply with PCI DSS, including the PCI SSC website, which provides a wealth of information and tools. Businesses can also hire a qualified security assessor to help them assess their compliance and develop a plan to address any gaps.
Compliance with PCI DSS is important for businesses of all sizes. By following the PCI DSS requirements, businesses can help to protect cardholder data and prevent data breaches.
Here are some of the key benefits of PCI compliance:
- Protects cardholder data from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification, or destruction.
- Helps to prevent data breaches and the financial and reputational damage that they can cause.
- Meets the requirements of the major credit card brands.
- Improves customer confidence and loyalty.
- Reduces the risk of regulatory fines and penalties.
If you are a business that processes credit cards, it is important to understand the PCI DSS requirements and take steps to comply with them. By doing so, you can help to protect your customers’ data and your business from harm.
