PCI DSS

The financial and reputational impact of a credit card data breach can be devastating. In 2017, the average cost of a breach reached $3.62 million, with over five million records stolen every day. To protect your business from becoming part of these costly statistics, it’s essential to understand where the risks lie.

In this article, we’ll explore how credit card data breaches occur and outline practical steps your company can take to strengthen defenses and prevent them.

In the world of financial transactions, the acronym PCI is the most common term used and refers to the Payment Card Industry. (The longer version is PCI DSS, or Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard.) The Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) was created in 2006.

Its goal as a global entity is to help improve the security for every aspect of the financial transaction process. In the past the object for security concerns were mainframe computers that could fill a room. Technology has evolved from those huge mainframes to personal computers, to mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.

The ways hackers threaten an entity’s data have changed as well; but of course, the need for protecting that data has remained unchanged. Keep reading to learn more about the PCI security council and avoiding a credit card data breach.

PCI DSS Compliance firms help organizations achieve and maintain compliance with:

• Initial preparation, including scoping out implementation
• Strategic oversight and program advisory for overall governance
• Implementation or mapping assistance, including remediation
• Assessment and reporting on compliance for validation
• Ongoing maintenance and troubleshooting support

When searching for the right PCI Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV), there are four critical factors to keep in mind:

1. Understand the importance of expert guidance — Working with a qualified ASV helps ensure your scans meet PCI DSS requirements and provide accurate, actionable insights.

2. Know where to find trusted vendors — The official PCI ASV list is the best place to identify recognized and approved scanning providers.

3. Evaluate vendor qualities carefully — Look for a PCI Approved Scanning Vendor that aligns with your business needs, IT environment, and long-term compliance goals.

4. Consider broader compliance and governance — Beyond scanning, a trusted ASV can help strengthen your overall PCI DSS posture and ongoing security strategy.

There are four critical pillars to successful preparation for PCI Software Compliance. These steps help organizations align with the PCI Secure Software Framework (SSF) and meet all requirements for validation:

1. Understand the scope of PCI SSF — This includes both component frameworks to ensure complete coverage.

2. Meet the Secure Software Standard requirements — Address all mandatory controls to protect payment applications.

3. Implement the Secure Software Lifecycle (Secure SLC) — Establish ongoing governance and security practices for long-term compliance.

4. Conduct a compliance assessment — Validate readiness with a qualified PCI-listed assessor to achieve certification.

Finding the right Secure SLC Assessor comes down to looking for four critical factors:

• Assessors must be qualified by the PCI SSC to validate your compliance
• Assessors should provide comprehensive knowledge & preparatory assistance
• Assessors should present other frameworks and regulations required for compliance
• Assessors must be flexible and accommodate your current IT deployment

If your organization was subject to PA-DSS compliance in years past, you may need to achieve PCI Secure SLC certification as soon as possible. The most efficient path begins with scoping before in-depth implementation and assessment—all of which an advisor can optimize further.

If your organization is working toward PCI certification, a PCI vulnerability scan is an essential step. These scans must be performed by a PCI Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV) to meet specific PCI DSS requirements. While ASVs are officially required for external vulnerability testing, trusted providers can also help strengthen your overall compliance program by offering tools and guidance across every stage of implementation.