CI DSS is the international security standard for all entities that store, process or transmit cardholder data or private authentication data. PCI DSS establishes a basic standard of protection for consumers and helps reduce fraud and data breaches within the entire payments ecosystem. It applies to any company or organization that accepts or processes payment card data.
PCI DSS compliance revolves around three main components:
Manage the receipt of consumer credit card data, that is, collect and transmit private card data securely
Store data securely as described in the 12 PCI security domains (for example, using encryption, continuously monitoring data, and verifying the security of access to card data)
Annually validate the operation of necessary security controls, which may involve forms, questionnaires, external vulnerability scanning services, and third-party audits
Regardless of how card data is accepted, every business must complete a PCI-compliant validation form annually. This process of validating compliance with PCI regulations depends on several factors (we have described them below). Here are three cases in which a company might be asked to demonstrate PCI compliance:
Payment processors may request this as part of their notification processes to card brands (it is a requirement for payment processors).
Business partners can request it as a prerequisite to signing a business agreement.
If the business can be considered a platform (that is, if its technology facilitates transactions between users), its users can request it to demonstrate to their customers that they manage data securely.
The latest set of security standards, PCI DSS version 3.2.1, includes 12 core requirements with more than 300 subrequirements that reflect security best practices.