PCI DSS FAQ
11 May 2026
Knowledge
PCI DSS
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, or PCI DSS, is an information security standard for merchants and service providers who process, store or transmit payment card data. It helps protect against financial fraud, and theft or misuse of payment card data.
Complying with the PCI DSS is mandatory for any business that processes, stores or transmits payment card data.
Any business that processes, stores or transmits payment card data must comply with the PCI DSS.
Banks can withdraw the ability to accept card payments from businesses that do not comply with the PCI DSS. This can seriously affect the operation of your business, and the subsequent reputational damage can be impossible to recover from.
Very serious, as banks may withdraw your ability to accept card payments if you do not comply. However, most businesses do not need to meet all the requirements in the Standard – what you need to do to comply will depend on how you take payments and process card data.
If your business processes, stores or transmits payment card data, then you must comply with the PCI DSS. However, the requirements you must meet depend on how you take card payments and process payment card data. Most businesses only need to implement specific parts of the Standard, and many small businesses outsource all payments to a service provider that manages compliance on their behalf.
The cheapest way to become PCI DSS compliant involves a mix of professional support and internal activities. Expert advice in the early stages of your compliance project can help accurately scope applicable requirements and reduce the amount of work needed to comply. Documentation toolkits save time and money developing key documentation, and training courses help embed compliance across the business.
PCI DSS compliance can be complex, and most businesses will benefit from expert support. However, much of the work needed to achieve compliance will need to be done by your personnel. Certain requirements (such as vulnerability scans) must be conducted by approved vendors and cannot be performed in-house.
The six major principles of the PCI DSS are:
- Build and maintain a secure network and systems
- Protect account data
- Maintain a vulnerability management program
- Implement strong access control measures
- Regularly monitor and test networks
- Maintain an information security policy
Each of these is linked to a list of controls that help secure payment card data and reduce the risk of fraud or data breach.
Version 3.2.1 of the PCI DSS was retired on 31 March 2024 and can no longer be used. The latest version of the PCI DSS is version 4.0.1, which was published in June 2024.