PCI Compliance

Next buzzword of the coming year going to be PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard). Since lots of identity theft and sensitive information is being attacked now a days it is very important to secure the MONEY and where ever in any form MONEY is :-)

Main goal of this compliance is to protect credit/debit card information where ever it is:
1) Issuing Banks
2) Online merchants like Amazon (They also store the credit card information)
3) Utility companies like your electricity provider. Now a days every one and mostly everyone accepts the online payment.
4) Even the merchants in the local store should comply to this standard because they are also playing with the card information's. If the merchant is dealing with debit card and PIN combination then they are exempted for PCI compliance.

Companies needs to get the confidence of the customers to provide the sensitive information (credit card information) for any kind of payments.This compliance standard is going to help the industry achieving the same.

Below are the PCI Data Security Standard Control Objectives & Requirements

I. Build and Maintain a Secure Network
1. Install and maintain a firewall configuration to protect cardholder data
2. Do not use vendor-supplied defaults for system passwords and other security parameters

II. Protect Cardholder Data
3. Protect stored cardholder data
4. Encrypt transmission of cardholder data across open, public networks

III. Maintain a Vulnerability Management Program
5. Use and regularly update anti-virus software
6. Develop and maintain secure systems and applications

IV. Implement Strong Access Control Measures
7. Restrict access to cardholder data by business need-to-know
8. Assign a unique ID to each person with computer access
9. Restrict physical access to cardholder data

V. Regularly Monitor and Test Networks
10. Track and monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data
11. Regularly test security systems and processes

VI. Maintain an Information Security Policy
12. Maintain a policy that addresses information security