What is PCI Compliance?
The PCI Digital Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of internationally-recognized security standards that exist to protect the sensitive data associated with payment accounts. These standards apply to any organization or other entity that manages cardholder data.
As of March 2022, PCI DSS v4.0.1 is the most current version of these standards, though v3.2.1 will remain valid until the end of March 2024. PCI DSS defines 12 requirements, testing procedures for each requirement, and guidance on best practices for implementation.
To be PCI compliant, an organization must implement and maintain security practices that meet or exceed these standards. RSI Security’s PCI compliance services will guide your organization through this process and help you maintain year-round compliance.
Why is PCI Compliance Important?
Whether you're a large or small business, if you are a merchant who accepts credit card payments, or are a service provider to merchants, your organization is responsible and must protect payment cardholder data through PCI security standards and PCI Compliance Services
With security breaches and cybercrimes considered commonplace, adhering to PCI Data Security Standards is critical to keeping your customers’ payment card data safe and secure.
Help protect your business against loss of customers, brand erosion, litigations, and huge monetary losses by becoming PCI compliant.
RSI Security will help you get through the compliance process in an efficient and thorough manner, leaving you with the peace of mind that your data is secure and, more importantly, that your customers' data is secure.
RSI Security is a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) and an Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV) with over 10 years of experience as top-of-the-line service providers
We’ve helped over 250 clients achieve PCI DSS compliance
Check out what clients are saying about us
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How Do I Become PCI Compliant?
Achieving and maintaining PCI DSS compliance is an involved process, but the DSS is written to allow for flexibility and customization.
Understanding the Requirements
The first step to becoming PCI compliant is understanding the requirements. The 12 requirements are distributed across six goals:
- Build and maintain secure networks and systems by implementing network security controls and secure system configurations.
- Protect cardholder data by securing stored data and using cryptography during data transmission.
- Implement a vulnerability management program designed to protect systems against malware and ensure secure internal development practices.
- Implement robust access controls by restricting access to systems and data following the need-to-know principle, following user identification and authentication best practices, and restricting physical access to systems and cardholder data.
- Regularly monitor and test system and network security and maintain and protect logs and test reports.
- Implement and maintain a security policy that defines norms and expectations across the organization.
Understanding these standards allows each organization to design a custom approach to security that aligns with internal needs and resources while pursuing compliance.
An RSI Security PCI DSS consultant will help determine the best way to work compliant practices into your organization’s processes and procedures.
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Implementing the Requirements
The PCI Security Standards Council recommends a three-step process for achieving PCI compliance:
- Assess – Start by taking inventory. Identify any sensitive cardholder data, processes, and assets associated with the payment processes. Check them for security vulnerabilities and keep clear records of any issues that are found.
- Remediate – Follow the requirements to improve security. It's recommended to focus on eliminating security vulnerabilities and ceasing the storage of sensitive data to whatever extent is possible.
- Report – Document the entire process to produce the required reports, then submit them to the applicable financial institutions or card brands to achieve PCI certification.
Specific requirements may vary, so it's best to confirm procedures with specific financial institutions and card brands to ensure a smooth validation process. RSI Security’s PCI compliance services will ensure your organization knows what steps to take to achieve compliance efficiently.
What Happens if a Company Is Not PCI Compliant?
Failing to follow PCI security standards can leave sensitive cardholder data vulnerable due to insufficient security practices. Additionally, in the case of a security breach or attack, a non-compliant organization may be held responsible for card replacement costs, the cost of audits and investigations, and other penalties at the discretion of PCI stakeholders.
Failing to maintain compliance can also damage an organization's reputation, especially if a data breach does occur.
At RSI Security, we make compliance
easy within the often risky payment card industry.
Our PCI DSS Services
Onsite security assessments and a full report on PCI compliance (ROC)
Assistance with Self Assessment procedures and reporting (SAQ)
Attestation of Compliance (AOC) certificate
Network Penetration Testing
Vulnerability Scanning
Gap Assessment
Patch Management (PCI DSS Requirement 6.2)
Employee Education & Cybersecurity Awareness Training services
PCI DSS COMPLIANCE
Value and Benefits of Being PCI DSS Compliant
- PCI Payment Credit Card Data Security and Compliance
- Credit Card Data Environment Scope Identification and Reduction
- Credit Card Data Security Risk Management
- Increased Data and Card Protection
- Increased Customer Trust and Organizational Reputation
- Effective Incident Response Planning
- Quality Reporting on Compliance and Attestation of Compliance
Download Free PCI Compliance Checklist Here
MANAGED COMPLIANCE SECURITY SERVICES
Maintain PCI DSS Compliance Year-Round
In addition to helping you achieve PCI DSS compliance, we can ensure that you remain compliant year-round. Cybersecurity compliance isn’t just a one-time affair. Maintaining compliance year-round minimizes the risk of both cyberattacks and regulatory penalties. That’s why it’s important to enlist managed compliance security services on a continuous basis.
Don’t neglect cybersecurity and compliance for 11 months out of the year. Enlist RSI Security’s Managed Compliance Security Services to ensure consistent compliance.
What you’ll receive with RSI Security’s Managed Compliance Security Services:
Cyber Risk Assessment Reports - RSI Security will generate and deliver a monthly report assessing your cybersecurity and compliance posture.
Security Advisor Reviews - We’ll conduct a monthly compliance review with your team and one of our expert security advisors for continuous success.
Compliance Portal Access - You’ll receive unlimited access to a customized compliance portal. Monitor compliance at your own convenience.
Compliance Updates & Changes - Our managed compliance security services team will alert you of any key updates or changes you need to know.
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Why Choose RSI Security?
PCI Compliance FAQs
PCI DSS is short for the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, which governs how organizations should safely store, secure, and process sensitive cardholder payment data. PCI DSS exists to prevent data breaches, fraud, and cybercrime in general as it relates to payment data.
Anyone that handles payment data, from physical banks and retail locations to online payment processors and e-commerce sites, should be able to prove PCI compliance to both their customer base and outside regulatory agencies.
There are four levels of PCI DSS compliance, and the level you’ll need to reach will depend on your industry, business, and customer base. In general, the higher the volume of transactions you process on a regular basis, the higher the level of PCI compliance you’ll need to reach.
Unless you cover all the bases in the PCI DSS checklist, you may be held financially responsible by regulatory agencies or payment card industry governing bodies. If a data breach or cyber attack does occur, for example, auditors or investigators will look closely at your cybersecurity practices - a major part of which is PCI compliance. You may be held responsible for fines, in addition to costs associated with replacing compromised cards and damage to your overall brand. Contact RSI Security for PCI Compliance Services.
Achieving and maintaining PCI compliance can cost a few hundred dollars or several thousands of dollars, depending on the size of the organization. RSI Security's PCI consulting service will help you figure out what to expect and how to implement a budget-appropriate strategy.
PCI compliance isn't legally mandated, but it's a globally-recognized standard that is enforced by the founding members of the PCI Security Standards Council.
Evaluate your organization's security practices to see how well they align with the requirements. RSI Security's PCI compliance services will guide you on how to move forward, whether that means fixing issues to become compliant or taking the next steps to certify compliance.
The first version of the PCI DSS was released and enforced for compliance in 2004.
PCI DSS is enforced by American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB, MasterCard, and Visa Inc.
Submit the required documentation, including some combination of a completed Report on Compliance (ROC), Attestations of Compliance (AOC), Self-Assessment Questionnaires (SAQ), or Attestations of Scan Compliance, to the appropriate financial institution or PCI stakeholder.
Cardholder data is primarily defined as the primary account number (PAN) but can also include the cardholder’s name or the card’s expiration date and service code, all of which are protected.
Cardholder data can be stored, but storage should be kept to a minimum. Sensitive authentication data, however, cannot be stored.
This depends on what other standards your organization may be subject to. RSI Security will help ensure your organization meets all applicable security requirements.
TESTIMONIALS
What our clients are saying
Peter Ripa
CEO of Century Club of San Diego Farmers Insurance Open
"We were looking for an IT partner who was both an ASV and QSA vendor with a long-term view of out organization's growing security needs. We were very pleased with the overall experience. I can sleep a little easier at night."
Dan Poloche
Director of Security and Compliance
Fattmerchant
"RSI Security is a great QSA for advanced service providers that leverage technology such as tokenization. First time PCI Level 1 service providers would also benefit from their knowledge and personalized approach."
Neil Zerrusen
Three Z Printing Co.
"We’ve partnered with RSI Security for over a year and are impressed with their professionalism, reliability, and commitment to our security. We would highly recommend RSI Security to anyone looking for a top-tier security provider."
LATEST
Case Studies
Epic Games Case Study
Prior to our partnership, we were ready for PCI compliance to be a daunting challenge. However, after working with RSI Security, everything about the process has been as efficient and painless as possible. We’ve turned a potential weakness into a strength overnight.
Macomb Community College Case Study
Any college has quite a few departments, who are often not on the same page when it comes to IT or security. RSI Security met with vendors, partners, and internal staff and made sure everyone understood what needed to happen and how to make it happen.
Lumistry Case Study
“Everything about the certification process was seamless, from preparation through the actual assessment. We’re looking forward to a continued partnership with RSI Security.”
Tilly’s Case Study
“RSI Security helped us get policies and procedures ready, set us up to gather the evidence we needed, and then facilitated every step of the PCI assessment.”
Power Digital Case Study
“Constant communication. Weekly meetings. Went out of their way to be minimally intrusive to our business.”
Meltmedia Case Study
“RSI Security was the best conversation, had the most appropriate pricing, and was just the right amount of invasiveness for our organization.”
WorkWave Case Study
“We didn’t really have a ton of experience in payments compliance, But the RSI Security team was always patient with us, explaining what we needed. It really felt like they were along with us at every step to make sure we were successful.”
Finix Case Study
“With RSI Security, we feel like a valued client, not just another name in a book of customers. And that means a lot, especially when working with a small, but growing, company like Finix.”
CUSTOMERS
Organizations that trust RSI Security
Start taking steps now to ensure your PCI DSS Compliance is up-to-date and avoid costly data-breach-related litigation and damage to business reputation.
