PCI DSS
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a global security standard that applies to every organization that stores, processes, or transmits payment card data. It is maintained by the PCI Security Standards Council - founded by the major card brands including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and JCB - and exists to protect cardholder data and reduce payment fraud across the entire payment ecosystem.
The current version, PCI DSS v4.0.1, is structured around 12 core requirements grouped into six control objectives: build and maintain a secure network, protect account data, maintain a vulnerability management program, implement strong access control, regularly monitor and test networks, and maintain an information security policy. In practice these cover network segmentation, encryption, multi-factor authentication, logging, and regular penetration testing.
Compliance is validated through a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) or a formal Report on Compliance (ROC), depending on your transaction volume and merchant level. We help you scope your cardholder data environment, close control gaps, and reach the validation level your business requires.
Are you in scope for PCI DSS?
PCI DSS applies to any organization that touches cardholder data. A quick check:
You likely need this if
- You store, process, or transmit cardholder data anywhere in your business
- You accept card payments online, in-store, or over the phone
- You outsource payment handling but still influence how card data flows
- You are unsure which SAQ type or merchant level applies to you
Not sure where you land? A short assessment call will tell you plainly, including if you do not need this yet.
How We Help You Comply
End-to-end support to reach and sustain PCI DSS compliance across your payment environment.
We map exactly where cardholder data lives, flows, and is stored across your systems, then define and minimize your cardholder data environment (CDE) through segmentation to reduce audit scope and cost.
A detailed review of your controls against all 12 PCI DSS v4.0.1 requirements, including the customized approach and the requirements that became mandatory on 31 March 2025, with a clear remediation plan.
Design and validation of network segmentation, least-privilege access, and multi-factor authentication to isolate and protect the systems that handle card data.
Establishing the vulnerability scanning, patch management, and annual penetration testing programs required to keep your environment secure and demonstrably compliant.
Implementation of centralized logging and continuous monitoring, plus the evidence collection needed to complete your SAQ or Report on Compliance efficiently.
Compliance That Stays Valid
PCI DSS is an ongoing obligation that must hold up between annual assessments. We build repeatable processes for monitoring, testing, and evidence collection so your compliance remains continuous, and we work alongside your Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) to make validation straightforward.