12 PCI DSS Compliance Requirements for Securing Card Data

Electronic payments are all over the world today, owing to the convenience of time and effort it gives to the users. From small vendors to big corporates, all are offering card payments as an alternative payment method to augment their selling opportunities. Nevertheless, a user’s card information is sensitive and to process this information is attached with risk and accountability.

Securing this personal data from thefts and frauds is the duty of merchants as per PCI DSS. (Payments Card Industry Data Security Standards). PCI DSS intends to reduce the risk of card fraud and increase the security controls for cardholder data.

What is PCI DSS?

Information relating to Credit cards is extremely vulnerable, as data thefts have turned predominant now. Credit card theft is the second most common type of theft and the amount of fraud by new credit card accounts saw a massive increase in recent years.

The PCI DSS is a compliance standard set for data security requirements concerning the handling, storing, or transmission of cardholders’ data. Leading card brands Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and JCB collaborated to form PCI SSC, an independent council that maintains and updates PCI standards.

To whom does it apply?

PCI DSS applies globally to all big and small merchants, as well as service providers who store, process, or transmit cardholder information. If a payment card carries the logo of any of the founding card brands, it must be protected as per PCI DSS.

Requirements of PCI DSS Compliance

PCI DSS is your roadmap to card data security compliance by fulfilling the 12 requirements listed in the standard. Following are the 12 Requirements under PCI DSS for card data securitization.

• Install and maintain a firewall configuration: Firewalls are the first line of defence against hackers. Set rules to what kind of traffics can be allowed inside your corporate network.
• Do not use vendor-supplied defaults: Remove default passwords for all software, network devices, and servers. Upgrade your settings and maintain documentation.
• Protect stored cardholder data: Use encryption key management processes to encrypt card data. Map the Card Holder Data (CHD) Flow in your organization.
• Encrypt cardholder data transmitted: Secure data in transit across open, public networks to prevent interception.
• Protect all systems against malware: Install anti-virus on all hardware and software devices and ensure continuous monitoring.
• Develop secure systems and applications: Conduct thorough risk assessments. Patch internet browsers, applications, and OS within a month of a release.

Consequences of Non-compliance

Theft or breach of card data badly affects the entire payments ecosystem. Here are a few consequences one may face:

• Penalties: Non-compliance can result in penalties from card companies varying from $50 per cardholder up to $100,000 per month.
• Revenue loss and damaged reputation: Loss of trust among customers is the largest consequence of a data breach, impacting organizations for years.
• Legal action: In the event of a data breach, affected parties can take legal action resulting in millions in compensation.

QRC as a leading PCI Qualified Security Assessor

Being a PCI QSA, QRC helps businesses highlight gaps in their compliance posture—whether it is a SAQ Assessment or the complete PCI DSS certification. We support your end-to-end compliance journey with complete confidence.