Preparing for a PCI Compliance Test: What You Need to Know for Success

Following the PCI compliance test Data Security Standards (DSS) is very important in places where private cardholder data is processed and sent every day. A PCI compliance test is a thorough check that sees how well a company follows these rules to keep cardholder data safe from hackers and other bad people.

The risk of hacking on vulnerable systems keeps going up as the number of online transactions keeps going up. As a first line of defense, PCI compliance helps businesses keep their customers' trust, protect their image, and stay out of big fines. Not following through can have bad effects, such as losing money, being sued, and having your brand's image hurt.

In the PCI DSS, there is a long list of security rules that are meant to keep cardholder info safe. These rules cover many parts of information protection, such as:

• Setting up firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and vulnerability checking is part of network security.
• customer data protection: Encrypting customer data while it's being sent and while it's being stored.
• Controlling who can see cardholder information by their jobs and responsibilities.
• For system creation and maintenance, secure coding practices must be followed and security holes must be fixed quickly.
• Policies for information security: making and following clear rules and instructions.
• Doing regular vulnerability checks and penetration tests is part of monitoring and testing.

Any business that saves, processes, or sends credit card information must follow the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). Its goal is to make sure that all organizations that deal with user data follow the same data security standards. PCI DSS rules say that businesses, especially those that do business online, have to follow several steps, such as using a PCI-compliant hosting company. A group of big credit card companies, like Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express, set up PCI DSS and keep it up to date.

E-commerce sites are at risk of a number of things, such as:

• Credit card fraud happens when someone steals your credit card or credit card number and uses it to buy things without your permission.
• Identity theft is when thieves pretend to be real customers so they can use their identities to make purchases.
• Attackers take over users' sessions, send them to a fake checkout page, or use other tricks to steal credit card information.

Any group that handles credit card information, like a store, university, bank, city government, or any other public or private organization, has to work hard to stay PCI compliant. Since the beginning of 2019, this rule also applies to software makers who make credit card-processing software or web apps.

If you do not follow PCI Compliance, you could face harsh punishments, such as fines or even losing the ability to process credit card payments.

Some possible consequences for not following the rules are:

Loss of the Ability to Accept Credit Card Payments: For many businesses, the worst thing that could happen is that they would lose the ability to accept credit card payments at all. This could cost a lot of money, cause you to lose market share, and hurt your image. For businesses to be able to handle payments again, they need to go through a PCI reassessment by an outside Qualified Security Assessor (QSA).

Fines: Not following the rules can lead to big fines, usually between $86,000 and $4 million, based on how bad the breaking is and how long it lasts.

Forensic Examination: If a seller thinks there has been a data breach, they must go through a forensic examination to find out what happened and how bad it is. For Level 2 merchants (those with 1 to 6 million annual transactions), this process can cost between $20,000 and $50,000. For Level 1 merchants (those with more than 6 million annual transactions), it can cost over $120,000.

Fraud charges: If there is a security breach, a company can be sued and have other legal problems. This is because it is responsible for keeping its customers' private information safe.

Set up and keep up with network security controls

Companies need to set up and keep up with network security controls (NSCs) to keep an eye on traffic inside their network, especially in the cardholder data environment (CDE), and keep their systems and data safe from getting access from networks that aren't trusted, like the Internet. Companies now use more than just real firewalls to protect themselves. They also use virtual firewalls, cloud access controls, virtualization and container systems, routers with access control lists, and other software-defined networking technologies.

Make sure that all system parts have secure settings

Organizations must make sure that all system components are set up securely so that attackers can't use the usual settings to get in. To reduce risks, this means changing default passwords, getting rid of software and accounts that aren't needed, and turning off or getting rid of services that aren't needed.

Keep stored account information safe

Strong security methods, such as encryption, truncation, masking, and hashing, must be used by organizations to protect saved account data. Also, rules should be set up for data retention and disposal to limit the amount of time that data is stored and make sure that it is safely deleted when it is no longer needed.

Strong cryptography should be used to protect cardholder data while it is being sent over open, public networks

Strong encryption methods must be used by businesses to keep cardholder data from being stolen over open, public networks. This is necessary to protect against exploits that take advantage of poorly set up wireless networks and old encryption and authentication methods to let hackers get in without permission.

Keep all of your computers and networks safe from harmful software

Businesses need strong anti-malware programs to protect them from viruses, worms, Trojans, spyware, ransomware, keyloggers, rootkits, and bad scripts. To keep your system safe from new threats, you need to do regular changes and scans.

Create and keep software and systems safe

It is the most common demand for PCI compliance test Data Security Standards (DSS). Organizations must use secure code practices and do regular security reviews to stop attackers from taking advantage of security holes. To keep systems and software safe, you must also quickly apply security patches given by vendors to fix known vulnerabilities.

Limit who can see system parts and cardholder data based on what the business needs to know

Organizations need to have strict access controls to make sure that the concept of least privilege is used to decide who can use systems, apps, and data. This means giving people only the access they need to do their jobs. This lowers the risk of someone getting unauthorized access to important info.

Find users and make sure they are authorized to access system parts

According to PCI Compliance regulations, organizations must implement strong access control measures to ensure that only authorized individuals can access system components. This includes using multiple forms of authentication, assigning unique IDs to each user, closing inactive accounts, and enforcing strong password policies.

Limit who can physically see cardholder data

Physical entry to places that store, process, or send cardholder data must be tightly controlled to keep people who aren't supposed to be there from getting in. This means making sure that all physical places are safe and that only authorized people can get in.

Keep track of and record all access to system parts and cardholder data

Organizations must set up full logging and tracking of all access to system parts and cardholder data to find and stop any unauthorized access or strange behavior. Reviewing logs regularly is important for stopping, finding, or lessening the effects of possible data breaches.

Regularly check the security of your systems and networks

Because new security holes are always appearing, businesses need to check the safety of their systems, processes, and software regularly. To do this, vulnerability surveys, penetration tests, and other types of security testing must be done to make sure that security controls are still working and to find any new holes.

Organizational policies and programs can help with information security

To keep cardholder data safe, you need a strong information security program backed up by clear organizational rules. Companies should have information security and acceptable use policies, find and deal with risks to cardholder data, train and educate workers regularly, and handle the risks that come with working with third-party vendors.

To do well on a PCI compliance test, you need to know the PCI rules and put in place good security controls. Companies should look at their current security measures and find any holes. Regular checks are necessary to make sure that compliance stays high. Important steps also include training workers and keeping detailed records. It is very important to know about any changes to compliance standards. Businesses can lower their risks and escape expensive fines by taking care of these areas ahead of time. It should be a top concern to keep private customer data safe. It is possible to meet PCI safety standards with the right planning and tools. You can count on SafeAeon to help you achieve this by giving you expert advice and support.

1. If you fail a PCI security test, what will happen?

If a company fails a PCI compliance test, it could face fines from credit card companies, higher transaction fees, damage to its image, the possibility of losing the ability to process credit card transactions, and a higher risk of data breaches.

2. Where can businesses get the tools and tech they need to get ready for a PCI compliance test?

Some technologies and tools that can help you get ready for a PCI compliance test are intrusion detection and prevention systems, encryption solutions, tools for tracking and managing logs, and secure payment processing solutions. Compliance management software can also help speed up the assessment process by keeping track of compliance status and automating paperwork.

3. Once a company passes the test, how can it make sure it stays PCI compliant?

After passing the test, companies that want to stay PCI compliant should keep an eye on their security, do regular vulnerability scans, make sure all of their systems and software are up to date, train their employees on a regular basis, and check and change their security policies as needed.

4. Does a company need to hire a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) to get ready for a PCI compliance test?

Yes, a company can get ready for a PCI compliance test without hiring a QSA by using the PCI Security Standards Council's Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) to do a self-assessment. But for bigger or more complicated environments, hiring a QSA is often the best idea because they can give expert advice, find possible gaps, and make sure of a full compliance assessment.