Is your small business ready for PCI DSS compliance? If your business accepts credit cards, you must comply with PCI DSS standards. The current standard is PCI DSS v4.0.1. The newer standards include a more flexible, risk-based approach to security controls while emphasizing continuous efforts to achieve security outcomes. While the process can be complex, there is help. Here’s what to know to get started.
What is PCI DSS?
The PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) was developed by the PCI Security Standards Council, an independent organization formed in 2006 by American Express, Discover, JCB International, MasterCard and Visa Inc.
The purpose of PCI DSS is to encourage and enhance payment card account data security and facilitate the broad adoption of consistent data security measures globally. PCI DSS provides a baseline of technical and operational requirements designed to protect payment account data.
Any organization that stores, processes, or transmits payment card data – whether it’s a merchant, payment processor, bank, third-party service provider, or any other entity involved in the payment ecosystem – must comply with PCI DSS. Compliance ensures that cardholder data is secure and helps prevent breaches, fraud, and other security risks.
Does my business need to be PCI DSS compliant?
If your business accepts credit cards, you must be PCI DSS compliant.
What are the benefits of PCI DSS compliance?
Simply put, good compliance is good business. PCI DSS compliance is more than just a technical requirement – it will help you implement best practices to reduce the risk of fraud, safeguard your business’s data, protect your customers, and meet contractual obligations with your payment provider to operate safely and more efficiently.
PCI DSS compliance helps your business:
- Improve its overall security posture which helps protect sensitive customer data and reduce the risk of data breaches.
- Limit liability, including potential penalties and fines, from both payment processors and cyber liability insurers in the event you file a claim.
- Enhance payment processing efficiency, making it easier and safer for customers to do business with you.
How does my business become PCI DSS compliant?
Understand the PCI DSS Compliance Requirements for Your Business
Start by completing an assessment of your current payment card processes to determine the relevant compliance level for your business. After the assessment, the first step for most small businesses is completing a PCI DSS Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ).
There are several types of SAQs based on your business type and how you process payment card data. The SAQ standards will help you determine the strengths and areas for improvement in your payment system data security.
Ensure Your Systems Meet SAQ Requirements
Implement the required data security measures outlined in your SAQ. At a high level, here are some of the key elements:
- Build and Maintain a Secure Network and Systems
- Regularly update firewalls, switches, routers, and other security technologies.
- Implement secure configurations and network segmentation to isolate sensitive systems.
- Protect Cardholder Data
- Encrypt cardholder data stored in your systems and ensure secure transmission.
- Protect sensitive authentication data (e.g., PINs, CVVs) at all times.
- Maintain a Vulnerability Management Program
- Maintain a defined process for applying critical software updates and security patches within a reasonable timeframe.
- Use anti-virus and anti-malware software and additional layers such as allowlisting.
- Implement Strong Access Control
- Restrict access to cardholder data on a need-to-know basis.
- Implement strong access controls, including unique IDs, passwords, account lockout mechanisms, and multi-factor authentication (MFA) for systems accessing sensitive data.
- Regular Monitoring and Testing of Networks
- Monitor and log all access to systems storing or processing cardholder data.
- Conduct regular vulnerability scans, penetration testing, and other security assessments.
- Maintain an Information Security Policy and Programs
- Develop and maintain a comprehensive information security policy that covers security practices and procedures across the organization, including regular cybersecurity awareness training for all staff.
Complete and Submit the SAQ
Complete the SAQ and submit it to your merchant bank or payment brand.
It’s important to answer all SAQ questions honestly. This is not a time to simply check the “yes” box and move on to the next question. In case of a breach, if you have attested to being PCI DSS compliant and in fact your business is not, you may be subject to fines and denial of cyber liability insurance loss coverage.
Maintain Ongoing Compliance
Maintain ongoing compliance, including ensuring that your business regularly:
- Updates networking security tools, including timely patch management.
- Trains employees on cyber security awareness, including how to protect themselves from social engineering attacks.
- Reviews and updates security policies as necessary.
- Reassesses compliance annually or after any significant changes to your infrastructure, processes, or payment systems.
Where do I find help?
Maintaining PCI DSS compliance in your small business is an ongoing process that involves you, your IT provider, and your payment processor. Don’t go it alone. Reach out to CRU Solutions to learn how managed IT services help your business meet PCI DSS requirements.
By Janet Gehring
March 24, 2025