What Is PCI Compliance

PCI compliance, or Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS) compliance, refers to the set of security standards that businesses must meet in order to accept credit and debit card payments. These standards are designed to protect sensitive customer data from being compromised by hackers and other malicious actors.

The PCI DSS was created by the major credit card companies, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover, in order to establish a standard for protecting sensitive data. The standard is divided into six categories, known as the "PCI DSS requirements":

1. Build and Maintain a Secure Network: This requirement involves creating a secure network infrastructure that is protected against unauthorized access. This includes firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and other security measures.

2. Protect Cardholder Data: This requirement involves protecting sensitive data, such as credit card numbers, expiration dates, and security codes, from being compromised. This includes encrypting data, using secure servers, and limiting access to sensitive data.

3. Maintain a Vulnerability Management Program: This requirement involves identifying and addressing vulnerabilities in the network and systems. This includes regular security scans, penetration testing, and vulnerability assessments.

4. Implement Strong Access Control Measures: This requirement involves controlling who has access to sensitive data, and ensuring that only authorized personnel are able to access it. This includes implementing strong authentication methods and logging access to sensitive data.

5. Regularly Monitor and Test Networks: This requirement involves regularly monitoring networks for suspicious activity, and testing the security of the network and systems. This includes logging and reviewing security events, and conducting regular security audits.

6. Maintain an Information Security Policy: This requirement involves establishing, implementing, maintaining and regularly reviewing a security policy that addresses information security.

Businesses that accept credit and debit card payments must comply with the PCI DSS requirements, and must also pass an annual security assessment. If a business is found to be non-compliant, they may be subject to fines and penalties, and may also be liable for any financial losses that result from a data breach.

In conclusion, PCI compliance is a set of security standards that businesses must meet in order to accept credit and debit card payments. The PCI DSS standards are designed to protect sensitive customer data from being compromised by hackers and other malicious actors, and include requirements for creating a secure network, protecting cardholder data, maintaining a vulnerability management program, implementing strong access control measures, regularly monitoring and testing networks, and maintaining an information security policy. Businesses must comply with these standards and pass an annual security assessment to avoid penalties and liability for any financial losses that result from a data breach.