Introduction to PCI DSS

PCI DSS stands for the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, a multi-layer security standard developed by the major payment brands, with the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Security Standards Council (SSC) in Wakefield, MA having oversight of the management and continued development and enhancement of the PCI DSS framework.

Merchants and Service Providers need to understand that the PCI DSS framework has been readily accepted and adopted by all major payment brands, is a comprehensive and in-depth compliance standard, and which is being pushed very heavily. In short, the PCI DSS standards are the standard bearer, even being codified into law, such as Minnesota's passage of the Plastic Card Security Act. If you believe your organization is directly involved in the processing, storage, or transmission of transaction data or cardholder data, then NDB Advisory highly recommends you begin the process of becoming PCI DSS compliant.