What is PCI DSS?
PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is a set of security requirements for organizations that handle credit card data.
PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is a set of security requirements for organizations that handle credit card data. Compliance is mandatory for any company that processes, stores, or transmits cardholder data.
PCI DSS has 12 core requirements organized into 6 goals: Build secure networks (firewalls, change defaults), Protect cardholder data (encryption, access control), Maintain vulnerability management (antivirus, secure development), Implement access controls (restrict access, unique IDs), Monitor and test networks (logging, testing), and Maintain security policy (documentation).
Compliance levels: Level 1 (>6M transactions/year — requires annual on-site audit), Level 2 (1-6M — SAQ + quarterly scan), Level 3 (20K-1M e-commerce — SAQ + quarterly scan), Level 4 (<20K — SAQ). Most SaaS companies use Stripe or similar PSPs to reduce PCI scope — the PSP handles card data, minimizing the company's compliance burden.
Why It Matters
Non-compliance risks: fines up to $500K/month, loss of card processing ability (business-ending for many SaaS companies), and liability for any data breach. Using a PCI-compliant PSP (Stripe, Braintree) is the fastest path to compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PCI DSS?
Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard — mandatory security requirements for organizations handling credit card data. Non-compliance risks fines, loss of card processing, and breach liability.
How do SaaS companies achieve PCI compliance?
Use Stripe or similar PSPs — they handle card data so you don't have to. This reduces your PCI scope to SAQ-A (the simplest level). Never store card numbers in your own database.
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