What is PCI DSS Compliance? Requirements and Best Practices
As the threat landscape continues, protecting payment card information should be a priority for any organization. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) outlines the best practices for protecting cardholder data and provides practical solutions to mitigate risks of data breaches. Therefore, complying with PCI DSS Compliance is a means to increase an organization’s protection against cyber threats and can also be a tool to gain clients’ trust and continued patronage. Hence, the blog briefly overviews PCI DSS compliance, explains its necessity, outlines its requirements, and details its implementations. What is PCI DSS? Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a recognized policy and regulation for the security of credit, debit, and cash card-based transactions to minimize the misuse of cardholders’ identities. Furthermore, PCI DSS has been developed to assist organizations that process payment card data to avoid cyber incidences with sensitive information. In addition, it is important to note that PCI DSS is not a law or a legal regulation requirement. However, it is frequently included in contracts that businesses that process and store credit, debit, and other payment card transactions agree to. Any organization legally bound by contract to operate their business must adhere to the compliance laws stipulated by the PCI DSS standards to create the necessary security for the clients. PCI DSS was created in 2004 by five major credit card companies: VISA, MasterCard, Discover, JCB, and American Express. Additionally, its standards were established by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC). What is PCI DSS compliance? PCI DSS compliance refers to ensuring that an organization implements the specifications given by the PCI DSS for the protection of cardholder data and a secure payment process. Any organization dealing with credit card data must ensure proper control mechanisms and procedures are in place to meet the standards. The concept of PCI DSS compliance, therefore, requires constant testing of the organization’s security measures, protection management of the vulnerabilities, and adoption of better measures. Hence, consequences of non-compliance include legal penalties, legal liabilities, and harm to an organization’s reputation. What are the PCI DSS Requirements? 1. Use and Maintain Firewalls Firewalls mainly prevent foreign or unknown entities from gaining access to private data. This prevention system acts as the initial barrier against hackers. Hence, firewalls are among the top PCI DSS requirements because they help minimize unauthorized access. 2. Proper Password Protections Third-party products such as routers, modems, point of sale (POS) secure systems, etc., use generic passwords and security that can be easily found online. Measures of compliance in this area include a list of all devices and software that need a strong password. 3. Encrypt Transmitted Data Cardholder information is transmitted through numerous regular channels (payment processors, home office, local stores, etc.). Such data must be encrypted each time it is transmitted to those known destinations. Additionally, never send account numbers to unknown locations. 4. Use and Maintain Anti-Virus Anti-virus software should be used alongside the compliance steps for the payment card industry data security standard (PCI DSS). However, anti-virus is mandatory for all devices that process or store PAN information. This software should be periodically patched and updated. The POS provider should also incorporate anti-virus measures where it cannot be installed directly. 5. Properly Updated Software Firewalls and anti-virus software will need upgrades many times. It is also beneficial to upgrade every application in a company. Updates of most software products contain additional layers of security, including patches that fix newfound exploits, for instance. 6. Restrict Data Access The cardholder data has to be kept confidential, and there is a need-to-know basis only, which means that any employee from the company and any third party who is not authorized does not need to access this data. The roles requiring sensitive data should be clearly defined and updated periodically, if necessary — as per the PCI DSS guidelines. 7. Unique IDs for Access Persons who must access card data should have their unique identification to access the data. For example, there should not be a single access to the encrypted data with several people aware of the account details. Unique IDs reduce vulnerability and provide a faster response in the event of a data breach. 8. Restrict Physical Access Any cardholder data must be stored in a physically secure environment. Any written or typed data, as well as the data stored on a hard drive, should be stored in a locked room, a drawer, or a cabinet. Documented every instance of accessing time-sensitive data to meet the PCI DSS compliance requirements. 9. Establish and Sustain Access Logs Any action that involves cardholder data and primary account numbers (PAN) must be recorded in a log. To meet compliance standards, it is necessary to describe the procedure through which data enters the organization and the frequency of requiring access. 10. Document Policies A list of equipment, software, and any human resources that have access will be required to be prepared for attestation of compliance. Documentation will also be necessary for the logs of accessing cardholder data. Describe how your company manages information as it enters, how it is processed, and how you use the information after the point of sale. 11. Vulnerability Scanning and Penetration Testing (VAPT) Applications, networks, the cloud, APIs, etc. are always vulnerable to cyberattacks. If one of these is hacked, they could also steal the payment card information. By conducting vulnerability scanning and penetration testing (VAPT), you can identify and fix security weaknesses that could lead to data breaches. Speak with our experts for VAPT services and PCI DSS compliance requirements. To make a call, click on the box below! Talk to our Cybersecurity Expert to discuss your specific needs and how we can help your business. Schedule a Call What are the Steps to Achieve PCI DSS Compliance? There are several important steps to PCI DSS compliance· Here’s a streamlined approach: 1. Understand PCI DSS Requirements Familiarize yourself with the PCI DSS standards and requirements
