Non-compliance with PCI DSS can result in penalties, violations, and the loss of customer trust, which may be harder to recover.
To prevent these outcomes, it’s crucial to determine whether your business is subject to PCI DSS requirements.
PCI DSS applies to any business that accepts, processes, stores, or transmits cardholder data, as well as any organization that could affect the security of that data.
The standard classifies businesses into two main groups: merchants and service providers. Below, we explain the key differences between the two.
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A merchant is any business that accepts payments via cards from one of the five major credit card networks: American Express, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and JCB.
Compliance with PCI DSS varies based on your business’s PCI compliance level, which is determined by the volume of card transactions processed annually and specific requirements set by your acquiring bank.
Here’s a breakdown of the merchant compliance levels:
• Level 1: Merchants processing over 6 million card transactions per year
• Level 2: Merchants processing between 1 million and 6 million transactions per year
• Level 3: Merchants processing between 20,000 and 1 million transactions per year
• Level 4: Merchants processing fewer than 20,000 transactions per year
There are two compliance levels for service providers, which are determined by the number of transactions they store, process, or transmit.
Level 1: Service providers that store, process, or transmit more than 300,000 credit card transactions annually
Level 2: Service providers that store, process, or transmit fewer than 300,000 credit card transactions annually.
Your service provider level helps dictate the reporting requirements you will need to prove compliance. For example, a Level 1 service provider will undergo annual audits conducted by a QSA to prove compliance, while a Level 2 service provider will complete an annual SAQ D.
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Embarking on the PCI compliance journey requires a structured approach. Here are five essential steps to guide your business to successful adherence.
Determine if PCI DSS applies to your business by assessing how you handle cardholder data and transactions.
Educate your team on the importance of PCI compliance and cybersecurity best practices to ensure secure cardholder data handling.
Implement necessary technical and operational safeguards, such as firewalls, encryption, and access controls, to meet PCI DSS standards.
Assign dedicated personnel, tools, and budget to manage PCI compliance, ensuring all requirements are met efficiently.
Regularly audit and test your systems to maintain compliance, addressing any vulnerabilities and staying updated with PCI requirements.
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Curated by PCIcompliant.org, this page provides publicly-sourced information on everything related to the PCI DSS Directive. Presented in a clear and concise manner for easy consumption.
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