PCI DSS and PA DSS Compliance

What is PCI Compliance? Introduction

To begin to understand PCI-DSS and PA-DSS compliance, we have to go back to the late 1990s. With the advent of the Internet, credit card fraud increased significantly. Something had to be done about it.

As a consequence, credit card companies created their own Security programs. However, merchants who accepted multiple types of credit cards had difficulty meeting all the different standards.

Finally, the credit card companies came together to create the PCI-DSS ( Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) compliance standard that began to be used by credit card operators, credit card services worldwide in 2004.

What are PCI DSS compliance and PA DSS compliance?

The PCI-DSS standard was developed by a committee called PCI SSC ( Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council ) and focuses on the networks, systems, and other equipment that allow processing transactions made with payment cards (credit and debit).

Over the years, it has undergone notable revisions that led Retail Businesses (and other industries) that use credit/debit cards to reinforce their Security stances. Thanks to the implementation of PCI, card fraud was drastically reduced.

Initially, only a wide selection of infrastructure settings and security policies were recommended. Over time they became "suggestions." Until, finally, they became mandatory. By December 2019, PCI-DSS version 3.2.1 will have made all critical requirements mandatory.

The standard PA-DSS ( Payment Application Data Security Standard or Security Standard Payment Application Data) has a similar structure but focuses on applications card payment. Its purpose is that payments are made safely. To do this, it focuses on how applications collect, process, and transfer card data. The PA-DSS standard was created by VISA in 2008 and already migrated to version 3.2 in 2016.

PCI DSS and PA DSS Certification: Challenges They Present to Businesses

The PCI-DSS and PA-DSS standards are continuous and repetitive chains of recertification processes that aim to demonstrate to credit/debit card processors worldwide (VISA, DISCOVER, AMEX, and others) that card data is handled correctly, securely, and your business and IT operations can be audited.

The structure of both compliance standards is compiled on pages and pages in the form of tables. PCI "consultants" commonly use automation tools, test kits, and spreadsheets to conduct audits and analyze results.

Infrastructures and applications to comply with PCI must meet each and every one of the requirements. They should also be verified at least once a year or more frequently if card processing equipment or software is replaced in-house. In some cases, compensatory controls are accepted by PCI and the card provider, but these exceptions are rare and should be reviewed periodically.

PCI compliance audits can be rigorously intrusive for Businesses, as some tests must be performed at each location where any type of credit/debit card processing occurs. The PCI Board is working on managing the audit life cycle to reduce the impact on the business and make the audit more effective.

While certification and recertification can be rigorous processes, they are critical challenges to take on. Since it is essential to comply with PCI compliance requirements to ensure protection, failure to comply with PCI verification puts card service providers at risk of withdrawing their transaction processing service immediately; This could lead to your customers and partners. It can affect the ability to do business with them.

PCI compliance: who is obliged to comply with the regulation

PCI processing and auditing standards apply to anyone who accepts a credit/debit card as a means of payment for any type of intangible product or service worldwide, including:

• Services in retail businesses and other physical locations
• Online services
• Call centers for telephone or chat assistance
• Any company specializing in financial services that performs transaction processing on behalf of your company
• Your credit/debit card issuing bank, credit union, or other institution (for example, airline-sponsored credit cards)

The latest version of PCI, 3.2.1, pays special attention to shared service centers. It emphasizes the need for a clear separation in security for each company and for the card services company to be divided.

Does complying with PCI ensure that all credit card transactions are secure?

It is possible to be PCI compliant and still experience a customer data breach. Since PCI focuses solely on processing credit /debit card information, it does not guarantee that its IT systems and business processes will not be attacked by other means. The entire IT environment must also be carefully scrutinized and protected according to your needs.

Also, since the PCI standard focuses only on card data management, its compliance is not legal proof that your systems and infrastructure will pass other compliance regimes such as Sarbanes Oxley (SOX), your industry-specific regulations, RPDG, or any national or state data protection regulation. However, mandatory encryption of credit/debit card information will limit hackers from reusing card data elsewhere, should they ever gain access to it.

How to comply with PCI in Latin America

Now that we have explained the basics, you can consider what steps your organization should take to successfully comply with PCI in Latin America.

The following table will help you simplify this process by providing the complete list of PCI-DSS and PA-DSS requirements and suggestions on the most essential points.

Technology innovation program

Invest in security technology to make it easier for you to adapt.

US merchants who have taken steps to help prevent counterfeiting by investing in EMV chip technology, or those who have implemented encryption between verification points, can take advantage of Visa's Technology Innovation Program (TIP). When at least 75 percent of annual transactions originate from dual-interface EMV chip-enabled terminals or a verified point-to-point encryption solution, this program eliminates the need for qualified merchants to verify compliance with PCI data protection standards.

The Basic Rules for PCI DSS Compliance

So now that we know what PCI DSS is and to whom it applies, let's take a look at the rules set by the security standard.

The PCI Data Security Standard specifies six goals known as "control objectives." The six objectives of the PCI DSS are:

• Build and maintain a secure network
• Protect cardholder data
• Maintain a vulnerability management program
• Implement strong access control measures
• Monitor and test networks regularly
• Maintain an information security policy

For more information, visit PCI Compliance Website --->

The official pci compliance website is https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/.