The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI/DSS) is a set of security standards designed to ensure that businesses that handle credit card transactions maintain a secure environment. The standard is maintained and managed by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC), which is a global forum of payment card brands, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover.
The PCI/DSS standards are intended to protect cardholder data from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, or destruction. The standards apply to all organizations that accept, process, store or transmit cardholder data, regardless of their size or the number of transactions they handle.
The PCI/DSS standards cover a wide range of security measures, including requirements for network security, access control, data protection, and incident response.
In order to ensure compliance with the PCI/DSS standards, organizations are required to undergo regular assessments by a qualified security assessor. These assessments are intended to ensure that the organization is implementing the required security measures and is following the PCI/DSS standards.
Overall, the PCI/DSS standards are an important tool for ensuring the security of credit card transactions and protecting cardholder data from unauthorized access. By following the PCI/DSS standards, organizations can help prevent fraud and other forms of abuse, and protect their customer’s sensitive information.