What is PCI DSS?
Definition
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of security standards mandated by major credit card brands to protect cardholder data. It applies to any organization that stores, processes, or transmits credit card information regardless of size.
In Depth
PCI DSS is maintained by the PCI Security Standards Council, founded by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and JCB. The standard consists of 12 high-level requirements organized into six goals: build and maintain a secure network, protect cardholder data, maintain a vulnerability management program, implement strong access control measures, regularly monitor and test networks, and maintain an information security policy. Compliance validation depends on annual transaction volume: Level 1 merchants (over 6 million transactions) require an annual on-site assessment by a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA), while smaller merchants may self-assess using the appropriate Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ). PCI DSS version 4.0 introduced a customized approach allowing organizations to meet security objectives through alternative controls. Many organizations reduce their PCI DSS scope by using payment processors that handle cardholder data, limiting compliance requirements to the integration points.
Related Frameworks
Related Terms
Encryption at Rest
Encryption at rest refers to the protection of data stored on physical or virtual storage media using cryptographic algorithms. It ensures that data remains unreadable to unauthorized parties even if the storage medium is physically compromised or improperly decommissioned.
Encryption in Transit
Encryption in transit protects data as it moves between systems, networks, or endpoints by encrypting the communication channel. TLS (Transport Layer Security) is the most common protocol used to secure data in transit over networks.
Network Security
Network security encompasses the technologies, policies, and practices designed to protect the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of network infrastructure and data in transit. It includes firewalls, intrusion detection, network segmentation, and monitoring.
Penetration Testing
Penetration testing is a simulated cyberattack conducted by authorized security professionals to identify vulnerabilities in systems, networks, and applications before malicious actors can exploit them. It goes beyond automated scanning by attempting actual exploitation.
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