Top PCI Compliance Solutions for Merchants

The Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS) provides business leaders with vital guidelines to safely manage credit card information, protect sensitive data, and prevent financial damage from credit card fraud. Comprehensive PCI compliance solutions are essential for any merchant looking to take every measure possible to protect their customers and business from dangerous data leaks.

However, many professionals are unaware of the best PCI compliance solutions companies must implement to guarantee the safe handling of credit cards and PCI DSS compliance. To help you initiate the process, we’ve compiled everything you should know about the top PCI compliance solutions and requirements to move your organization forward safely.

PCI Compliance Requirements

Before delving into the top PCI compliance solutions, it’s essential to identify PCI compliance requirements outlined by the Payment Card Industry DSS. Below are the 12 PCI compliance requirements to remember before implementing PCI solutions:

1. Protect cardholder data with a system of well-maintained and updated firewalls.
2. Change passwords from default options to unique, secure options.
3. Protect all stored cardholder data.
4. Encrypt all cardholder data transmitted via open networks.
5. Use up-to-date antivirus software.
6. Ensure your company’s systems and applications are secure.
7. Permit access to cardholder information on a need-to-know basis.
8. Assign a unique ID to staff members who can access card data.
9. Restrict physical access to cardholder information.
10. Closely monitor access from staff to protect cardholder data.
11. Frequently evaluate all security measures.
12. Maintain consistent, clear information security policies.

PCI Auditing Solutions

Large merchants and service providers are required to undergo audits to ensure that your organization meets PCI standards requirements. This solution requires a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) to audit your system. If your organization complies with PCI standards, you can receive a Report on Compliance (ROC) and Attestation of Compliance (AOC) to prove that your company’s security efforts are up to standard.

Before your PCI audit, you can take an audit readiness assessment to help your organization identify and address any gaps in PCI compliance before a QSA audits your company.

Self-Assessment Questionnaires

Merchants are often required to perform Self-Assessment Questionnaires (SAQs) to ensure they don’t fall short of compliance standards. An experienced service provider can assist you in completing your SAQ accurately and promptly to maintain PCI DSS compliance.

Self-assessment questionnaires can make auditing easier by helping you understand where your organization falls short on compliance and focus your efforts in these areas.

PCI DSS Penetration Tests

Another effective PCI compliance solution is a PCI DSS penetration test. PCI DSS guidelines require your organization to perform a comprehensive infrastructure penetration test at least once annually and after significant infrastructure changes. Penetration tests, or “ethical hacking,” are assessments that test your organization’s system, network, or applications to identify vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit for malicious purposes.

These solutions are a vital component of your overall cybersecurity protocol for the following reasons:

1. Exposing security vulnerabilities
2. Preparing your organization for the worst
3. Prioritizing technical improvements
4. Maintaining compliance
5. Ensuring data privacy
6. Protecting your company’s reputation

Types of Penetration Testing

There are three types of penetration testing to understand before your organization undergoes this process:

1. Black box testing: This testing focuses on a brute-force attack and simulates a hacker that is unaware of an IT infrastructure’s specific structure. These attacks involve hackers that launch all-out attack efforts to exploit any weakness they can identify. The penetration tester performs this test through a “trial and error” approach to identify vulnerabilities.
2. White box testing: This penetration test simulates a situation where a hacker has full knowledge of your IT infrastructure, including access to your application’s source code and architecture. This test identifies vulnerabilities to perform targeted testing and analysis.
3. Gray box testing: The final type of penetration test is gray box testing, which simulates a scenario where hackers have partial knowledge of your internal IT infrastructure. For instance, the tester might have a software code for your application but no information on the architecture details.

PCI DSS Gap Analysis

A thorough PCI DSS compliance gap analysis involves a careful overview of your organization’s cardholder data environment in scope and mapped against PCI DSS standards.

This method identifies gaps where you are not meeting PCI DSS requirements, allowing you to devise a remediation plan to close the gaps as soon as possible for an actual audit.

PCI DSS Network Scans

Adhering to PCI compliance requirements is possible through regular PCI DSS network scanning. These scans identify vulnerabilities in your network to maintain compliance with PCI standards with the help of an Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV). Quarterly scans are ideal for maintaining compliance and understanding your network from an internal and external perspective.

PCI Digital Forensics

An additional PCI compliance solution is PCI digital forensics. This process occurs after a cyberattack on your organization and involves an investigation from a PCI-certified Forensic Investigator (PCI PFI). Because these investigations are highly complex and require specialized, expert solutions, it’s essential to hire a team like the certified investigators from ERMProtect.

PCI DSS Remediation Solutions

Remediation is essential for organizations that identify gaps in their PCI DSS compliance and want to protect cardholder data. Remediation is a highly technical process, meaning that most businesses require professional guidance to complete steps toward remediation.

PCI DSS remediation can simplify your compliance efforts through a cohesive project plan that outlines the necessary tasks and timeline of your remediation. Ultimately, these solutions allow organizations to implement fully compliant cardholder information environments by addressing vulnerabilities in the current data environment.

Find the Top PCI Compliance Solutions from ERMProtect

Advanced PCI compliance solutions are essential to protecting sensitive cardholder data and preventing security systems in your organization’s IT infrastructure. ERMProtect is the top solution to help you adhere to PCI compliance requirements and guarantee protection against severe threats.

Our comprehensive PCI services offer all the solutions necessary to lead your business confidently. By implementing our solutions, you can help your organization thrive. Contact us today to discover more about our PCI compliance solutions and why ERMProtect is the best choice for your business.

For more information about our PCI compliance solutions or a free quote, please contact jmiller@ermprotect.com or call 305-447-6750.