PCI-DSS

Short for Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS), PCI DSS is a standard that all organizations, including online retailers, must follow when storing, processing and transmitting their customer’s credit card data. The Data Security Standard (DSS) was developed and the standard is maintained by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC). To be PCI complaint companies must use a firewall between wireless network and their cardholder data environment, use the latest security and authentication such as WPA/WPA2 and also change default settings for wired privacy keys, and use a network intrusion detection system.

The PCI DSS standard, as of September 2009 (DSS v 1.2), includes the following 12 requirements for best security practices:

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Source: PCI Security Standards Council]

The PCI DSS may also be called PCI compliance or PCI requirements.