Every business that accepts cards must meet the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. We turn PCI DSS compliance into a guided checklist, complete the right SAQ with you, and lock down cardholder data with tokenization and encryption - so PCI compliant payment processing is one less thing to worry about.
PCI DSS is built on twelve core requirements grouped into six security goals. Here is the full checklist in plain language, so you always know what cardholder data security looks like.
Build and maintain a secure network with properly configured firewalls protecting cardholder data.
Replace vendor-supplied passwords and default security settings before any system goes live.
Protect stored cardholder data with tokenization, truncation and strong encryption keys.
Encrypt cardholder data with TLS whenever it travels across open or public networks.
Use and regularly update anti-virus and anti-malware software on all in-scope systems.
Develop and maintain secure systems and applications, and patch known vulnerabilities promptly.
Restrict access to cardholder data on a strict business need-to-know basis.
Assign a unique ID to everyone with system access and enforce multi-factor authentication.
Restrict physical access to cardholder data, media, devices and payment terminals.
Track and monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data with audit logs.
Regularly test security systems and processes with vulnerability scans and penetration tests.
Maintain an information security policy that addresses staff, vendors and ongoing responsibilities.
We map these PCI DSS requirements to your exact setup so nothing on the checklist gets missed.
Your PCI compliance obligations scale with the number of card transactions you process each year. We help you confirm your level and meet the right validation requirements for it.
The highest-volume merchants. Requires an annual on-site assessment by a Qualified Security Assessor plus quarterly network scans.
Mid-to-large merchants. Typically validate with an annual Self-Assessment Questionnaire and quarterly scans by an approved scanning vendor.
Growing eCommerce merchants. Validate with the appropriate SAQ and quarterly external vulnerability scans.
Smaller and newer merchants. Validate with a Self-Assessment Questionnaire and scans where required by your acquirer.
From your first assessment to ongoing monitoring, our team handles the heavy lifting so secure payment processing stays simple year after year.
We review how you accept and store payments to define your PCI scope and the right SAQ for your business.
We deploy tokenization and end-to-end encryption that keep raw cardholder data out of your environment.
We guide you through completing the questionnaire and any required scans, then file your validation.
We keep monitoring controls active and prompt you ahead of renewals so you never fall out of compliance.
A Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) validates your PCI compliance. The right SAQ depends on how you accept payments - we match you to it so you only answer what applies.
Card-not-present merchants who fully outsource cardholder data handling to a compliant third party.
eCommerce merchants that partially outsource payment pages but still affect transaction security.
Merchants using standalone, dial-out terminals or imprint machines with no electronic storage.
Merchants using standalone, IP-connected payment terminals with no electronic cardholder data storage.
Merchants who key transactions one at a time into a web-based virtual terminal on an isolated device.
All other merchants and service providers that store, process or transmit cardholder data directly.
Compliance is more than a checkbox. It protects your customers, shields your business from breach costs and fines, and builds the trust that keeps buyers coming back.
Tokenization and encryption replace sensitive card numbers with useless tokens, so a breach has nothing worth stealing.
Staying compliant helps you avoid non-compliance fees, higher reserves and the heavy costs that follow a data breach.
End-to-end encryption protects every transaction in transit, keeping raw cardholder data out of your systems entirely.
Compliance is a condition of accepting cards. We keep your validation current so processing never gets interrupted.
Ongoing scanning and monitoring catch new vulnerabilities early, so secure payment processing stays that way.
Shoppers complete more purchases when they know their card details are handled by a PCI compliant business.
PCI DSS compliance backed by encryption, tokenization and monitoring that protect every cardholder transaction.
Common questions about PCI DSS compliance, SAQs and cardholder data security.
PCI compliance means meeting the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), a set of security requirements created by the major card brands. Any business that stores, processes or transmits cardholder data must comply. It protects your customers and is a condition of keeping your merchant account.
Yes. PCI DSS compliance applies to every business that accepts card payments, regardless of size or transaction volume. Smaller merchants usually validate with a simpler Self-Assessment Questionnaire rather than a full on-site audit, and we help you complete the right one.
An SAQ is a Self-Assessment Questionnaire used to validate PCI compliance. There are several types based on how you accept payments, such as SAQ A for fully outsourced eCommerce or SAQ D for merchants that handle cardholder data directly. We match you to the correct SAQ so you only answer what applies to your setup.
Encryption scrambles card data while it travels across networks so it cannot be read in transit. Tokenization replaces the actual card number with a random token that has no value if stolen. Together they keep raw cardholder data out of your systems, which shrinks your PCI scope and reduces breach risk.
Non-compliance can lead to monthly fees, higher transaction costs and larger penalties if a breach occurs. You may also lose the ability to accept cards. Staying PCI compliant with ongoing monitoring helps you avoid these costs and keep secure payment processing running smoothly.
Many merchants complete their initial validation within days once their setup is reviewed. We scope your environment, deploy tokenization and encryption, guide you through the questionnaire and any required scans, and get your merchant account approved in as little as 24 to 48 hours.
Protect cardholder data, satisfy PCI DSS requirements and keep accepting payments securely. Our specialists handle the checklist with you from start to finish.