The requirements for PCI DSS compliance

In a world where card payment methods have become indispensable, transaction data protection has taken on new significance. As a result, any party in the transaction flow has obligations to meet, which are certified as PCI DSS. In this article, we will define the term, discuss the significance of the standard, and go over the set of rules that must be followed.

What is the PCI DSS

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, or PCI DSS, is a set of mandatory rules for any company that processes, stores, or transmits cardholder data. The PCI DSS specifies technical and software requirements for data security.

The Payment Card Industry is in charge of developing, improving, and disseminating global credit card security standards. The Data Security Standard is a set of tested rules for data security in card operations. As a result, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard is a set of requirements that a company must adhere to in order to operate securely with card payments. The presence or absence of PCI DSS Compliance reveals a lot about how a company protects the sensitive data of its customers.

Since 2004, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard has been in place. Before, each of the major card associations had its own set of rules to follow. The need for PCI DSS unity arose from the need to protect against frequent fraudulent actions and hacker attacks. In this regard, the move was quite effective. In addition to improved security, organisations benefit from having only one unified security certificate instead of five for each card brand previously.

Why the PCI DSS is so important

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard provides an opportunity for a business to obtain a valid security certificate. The following are the main advantages of PCI DSS compliance:

Data protection

When a customer pays with a credit card, sensitive information such as billing and shipping information is shared. This information is the target of hacker attacks and deception. Being PCI compliant secures customer data sharing during payment through online payment gateway and storage at rest.

Customer confidence

Clients would not trust untrustworthy organisations with their confidential information. When a company complies with DSS PCI, on the other hand, it prioritises the security of its customers' sensitive data, making it trustworthy.

Legal insurance

Failure to comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard would result in significant fines and lawsuits from both customers and third-party organisations involved in the transaction process.

12 requirements for PCI DSS compliance

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard is clearly something that any reputable company requires. However, the set of complex procedures must be completed in order to meet the final standard. The 12 PCI compliance requirements are not easy to meet, and failing to meet even one or two of them will prevent the company from being certified. Meeting all of the requirements and achieving compliance, on the other hand, gives a company a significant status. Let's go over each of the PCI DSS requirements one by one.

1. Protect your system with firewalls

The first PCI DSS requirement is to secure and strengthen the network, as well as to protect inbound and outbound traffic within it.

To do so, firewall configurations must be applied and maintained. A firewall is a network security system that controls and regulates incoming and outgoing web traffic using defence rules. A firewall is a device that creates a barrier between a trusted network and an untrusted network, such as the internet.

Maintaining firewall secure status and keeping up with network documentation are two requirements of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard.

2. Configure passwords and settings

Organizations dealing with cardholder data storage, processing, or transmission must not use vendor-provided passwords or other security measures. PCI DSS created this requirement specifically to protect against hackers.

Passwords and settings configuration is intended for all assets within the infrastructure, and it includes improving the given standards, removing unnecessary functionality, and conducting a system component inventory survey.

Sure, vendor-provided defaults appear to speed up installation and even support, but there is a cost to pay in the end. These defaults make it very easy for hackers to obtain the data they need to infiltrate and exploit the system.

3. Protect stored cardholder data

The encryption and protection of sensitive data is a requirement of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard and also the best online payment gateway. The main focus here is on secure storage of cardholder data. Essentially, it is about how the organisation manages the highly valuable information of its customers.

Securing stored data is critical for the organisation because it affects its accountability as well as the safety of its customers. Masking, hashing, dual control, split knowledge, and the use of encryption tools during every transaction are some of the techniques that can be used to secure and store cardholder data.

4. Encrypt transmission of cardholder data across open, public networks

When an organisation works with cardholder data over open or public networks, that data must be protected securely.

This requirement aims to protect any organisation from becoming a hacker's target, who could exploit exposed data in poorly configured wireless networks.

Data transmission over open, public networks must be reliably encrypted by passing through security protocols and layers of authentication, according to the PCI controls.

5. Use and regularly update anti-virus software.

This is probably the most obvious PCI DSS requirement. Maintaining anti-virus and anti-malware software equates to keeping the system strong, well-protected, and on high alert.

In this case, protecting the environment from malware and viruses is critical because they can contain worms, ransomware, Trojans, spyware, adware, rootkits, and other unwanted software. Detecting the malware, removing it, and protecting it from further intrusions are all good solutions.

6. Regularly update and patch systems

The development and maintenance of defence systems and applications is the sixth requirement. The right solution includes identifying vulnerabilities, patching the environment, adjusting management and controls, and developing secure software.

Common defence vulnerabilities are frequently targeted by fraudulent actions and hacker attacks. The goal is to gain access to specific data structures within the organisation. The majority of these flaws are simple to prevent, but difficult to fix if the patch was not installed properly or at all.

In order to secure the cardholder data environment, the PCI DSS requires both systems and applications to have all of the necessary security patches installed at the appropriate time. This applies to all types of environmental applications, both those created in-house and those purchased from a third-party.

7. Restrict access to cardholder data by business need-to-know

In this case, the PCI DSS requirement emphasises the authorization protocol among personnel and its potential issues. It is critical to ensure that cardholder data is only accessible to those employees who work directly with private information.

Otherwise, access should be denied to avoid data leaks, fraud, data manipulation, mismanagement, and inaccuracy.

The next step is to define the access levels for each member based on their role or position. From the system administration department to the customer service unit, data visibility can differ.

8. Assign a unique ID to each person with computer access

The use of a user ID and password system protects the environment from unknown actions. Assigning a unique ID makes it easier to keep track of who is doing what in the environment. The issue can be easily traced in the event of a malfunction, attack, or any other defence problem.

A dedicated staff member should be assigned to keeping the identifying and authentication system up to date, including deleting old accounts, verifying new ones, removing access from previous employees, and terminating users.

9. Restrict physical access to workplace and cardholder data

We've talked about internal software systems and environments before. Unauthorized access to physical assets, on the other hand, can cause just as much damage as a hacker attack. Without security measures in place, anyone can gain access to the facility and steal, degrade, or destroy critical systems and cardholder data.

Physical security must be established immediately, according to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. There are numerous ways to improve the security of public spaces. Preventing unwanted accidents begins with minimal locks on the entrances, a badge of identification for employees, security guards, and video surveillance.

10. Implement logging and log management

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard mandates logging and log management with the goal of determining the cause of data compromise.

This requirement places logging and tracking at the forefront. By implementing logging mechanisms within the environment, all user activities can be tracked. Logging and tracking are critical for preventing, detecting, and minimising the consequences of a data breach. Without these two features, tracing the source of the data breach and compromise is extremely difficult.

11. Conduct vulnerability scans and penetration tests

To meet the PCI DSS standard, an organisation must test security systems and processes on a regular basis, especially after major updates or changes, to ensure asset security.

Testing is the most important factor here. Testing for vulnerabilities and overseeing environmental defence. Wireless access point checks, incident response procedures, vulnerability scans, penetration testing, intrusion detection, change detection, and policies and procedures should all be included.

The chances of detecting new vulnerabilities and protecting the system are much better with systematic testing.

12. Documentation and risk assessments

Documentation and risk assessments are the final requirements of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. This basically means that an organisation must have a strategy in place that addresses data security for all employees.

This includes establishing, producing, maintaining, and disseminating a clear and verifiable security policy to the organization's members. This serves as a foundation for implementing critical data protection rules. The main goal is to make each employee aware of his or her responsibilities in terms of security measures.