PCI DSS: what it is and why it matters for businesses that accept payments

Accepting card payments means handling particularly sensitive information. To reduce the risks associated with storing, processing and transmitting payment data, there is the PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard).

This standard sets out security requirements designed to protect cardholder data and reduce the risk of fraud and data compromise.

But what does PCI DSS compliance actually mean in practice? Who does it apply to? And what changes when a business uses a payment service provider?

In this article, we explain the essentials of PCI DSS and its impact on businesses that accept card payments.

What is PCI DSS?

The PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is an international security standard for protecting payment card data.

It was developed by the PCI Security Standards Council, which was created by the major payment networks, with the aim of establishing a common set of requirements for entities that store, process or transmit card data, or that may affect the security of that data.

The standard is currently at version PCI DSS v4.0.1.

Contrary to what is sometimes assumed, PCI DSS should not be understood simply as a “law”. Its application stems from the rules and requirements of the payments ecosystem and from the obligations that apply to entities that accept or process card payments.

What are the PCI DSS requirements?

PCI DSS sets out 12 main requirements, organised into six broad security areas:

• Build and maintain secure networks and systems;
• Protect cardholder data;
• Maintain a vulnerability management programme;
• Implement strong access control measures;
• Regularly monitor and test networks and systems;
• Maintain an information security policy.

In practice, these requirements cover different dimensions of security, from protecting systems and controlling access to monitoring, testing and the ongoing management of vulnerabilities.

The aim is simple: to reduce the exposure of payment data and minimise the chances of it being compromised.

Who does PCI DSS apply to?

PCI DSS applies to entities that store, process or transmit payment card data, as well as to organisations that may affect the security of the environment where that data is handled.

This can include, for example, e-commerce stores, marketplaces, financial institutions, SaaS platforms and other businesses that offer card payments to their customers.

However, the specific obligations of each business depend on several factors, including how payments are integrated and how far its own systems come into contact with card data.

This is precisely where the choice of payment provider and integration becomes particularly important.

Does using a payment gateway remove PCI DSS obligations?

Not necessarily.

Using a payment service provider that is set up to meet PCI DSS requirements can significantly reduce a business’s exposure to sensitive data and simplify its compliance scope.

For example, in an integration where card data is collected and processed directly through the payment provider’s infrastructure, that data may not need to pass through the merchant’s systems.

This reduces not only the risk, but also the technical complexity involved in handling sensitive information.

Even so, using a PCI DSS-compliant provider does not automatically mean that all of the business’s responsibilities disappear. The applicable scope will always depend on the integration model and on how payments are processed.

Why is it important to comply with PCI DSS?

PCI DSS compliance goes far beyond meeting a set of technical requirements.

It helps to protect customer data, reduce the risk of fraud and security incidents, and strengthen trust in payments made through the business.

A security breach involving card data can have significant financial, operational, contractual and reputational consequences.

In addition, depending on the circumstances, a security incident may trigger other legal and regulatory obligations relating to data protection.

That’s why prevention is considerably more effective than reacting to a security breach.

How does easypay contribute to payment security?

At easypay, PCI DSS compliance is part of an ongoing process of securing and protecting payments.

By integrating payments through easypay’s infrastructure, businesses can reduce the need to handle certain sensitive card data directly, depending on the integration model chosen.

In this way, a critical part of payment processing is concentrated in an infrastructure built to meet the security requirements that apply to the sector.

In practice, easypay enables businesses to:

• Reduce exposure to sensitive payment data;
• Integrate payments through a secure, PCI DSS-compliant infrastructure;
• Simplify the integration between payments and their business systems;
• Automate payment-related operations, such as collections, refunds and recurring payments;
• Focus on their business while a critical part of the payments infrastructure is handled by a specialist provider.

And when payments are integrated with invoicing software?

Security becomes especially relevant when different systems communicate with each other.

Integrating payments with invoicing software makes it possible to automate processes that would otherwise require manual intervention, while keeping invoicing functions separate from the secure handling of payments.

easypay offers integrations with a range of invoicing and management solutions, allowing businesses to build payments into the processes they already use day to day.

Payment security starts with infrastructure

PCI DSS should not be seen as just another technical requirement.

It is a fundamental reference point for reducing risk in an ecosystem where businesses and consumers expect digital payments to be simple, fast and, above all, secure.

Choosing a payments infrastructure that is built to meet these requirements allows you to reduce exposure to sensitive data, simplify operations and build security in from the moment the payment is made.

With easypay, you can integrate payments into a secure infrastructure that is ready to keep pace with your business’s growth.

Want to find out which payment solution is best suited to your business? Talk to the easypay team.