Making sure that your customer’s payment information is safe has never been more important than it is today. Probably the most important of that information is the customer’s credit card information. Intentional theft and accidental leaking of that information can result in unnecessarily high costs and other problems for you and your customers , which makes it all the more important to know how to navigate PCI compliance in 2022.

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of requirements for companies that process, store, or send credit card information. The purpose of the PCI DSS is to make sure that those businesses maintain a secure environment for that work.

The PCI DSS is managed and enforced by the PCI Security Standards Council. The Council was formed to help merchants and financial institutions understand and implement security policy standards, as well as standards for the technology and processes that are used to protect payment systems from being accessed without authorization and to prevent the theft of cardholder information.

Why Do I Need to be PCI Compliant in 2022?

Millions of people around the world use credit cards to buy things. Card numbers and other important information are usually sent to payment processors and banks over the Internet, even when the purchase is made in person at a store.

The risk of theft or leaking of information increases when the data is not physically possessed by the cardholder. This means that credit card transactions and related processes need to have security measures in place to eliminate, or at least significantly reduce, that risk. Even if the PCI DSS did not exist, businesses would need to implement security measures.

One advantage of the PCI DSS is that it provides a framework for developing a payment card data security process that covers everything from prevention to detection to the appropriate response in the event of a security problem.

Also, in 2022, payment processors, banks, and other financial institutions that provide merchant accounts typically require that merchants, etc., comply with the PCI DSS. Failure to meet the requirements could even result in having your merchant account canceled suddenly, or denied in the first place .

How Do I Become PCI Compliant in 2022?

So, how do you become PCI compliant in 2022?

The PCI Security Standards Council website provides a lot of useful information and tools to help you get started with PCI compliance. Below is a list of the twelve requirements of the PCI DSS. We recommend that you visit the PCI Security Standards Council website for more detailed information .

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.
3. Protect stored cardholder data.
4. Encrypt transmission of cardholder data across open, public networks.
5. Use and regularly update anti-virus software or programs.
6. Develop and maintain secure systems and applications.
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.
10. Track and monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data.
11. Regularly test security systems and processes.
12. Maintain a policy that addresses information security for all personnel.

What are PCI Compliance Fees and Non-compliance Fees?

“PCI compliance” means exactly what is says. It means that your business meets the requirements of the PCI DSS. In the same way, “PCI non-compliance” simply means that you business does not meet those requirements or has not shown proof of meeting those requirements.

In both cases, payment processors and other providers usually charge a fee for related work. PCI compliance fees pay for any services provided to make sure that your business’s merchant account satisfies all the requirements of the applicable PCI standards.

PCI non-compliance fees are essentially fines for not satisfying those requirements and maintaining compliance with the PCI DSS. There is no fixed amount for fines, and judgment of compliance or non-compliance is at the discretion of the merchant account provider. Generally, however, the non-compliance fee is typically imposed if the merchant has neglected to do something on its end to maintain the account’s compliance.

PCI Compliance Security Assessments

One of the most common reasons for being required to pay a PCI non-compliance fee is not completing or maintaining the Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ). The questionnaire itself is a helpful tool to assess the security of your business’ data handling. It is available on the PCI Security Standards Council website , and we recommend that you use it regularly.

PCI-compliant Payment Processors

If you are still struggling on how to navigate PCI compliance in 2022 finding a good payment processor for your high-risk business is an important part of protecting your company. Making sure that the payment processor is PCI-compliant is a key step in making your assessment of the processor. High-risk payment processors can be a great help in protecting your business, and PCI compliance by both the merchant and the payment processor is an excellent way to boost mutual security.

See the PCI Security Standards Council website for more information on what merchants can do to ensure they are in compliance.