When evaluating a payment gateway, it’s crucial to ensure that it is PCI DSS compliant. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of security standards designed to ensure that all companies that accept, process, store, or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment. Here’s what you need to know about PCI DSS compliance and the levels of compliance a payment gateway might adhere to:

PCI DSS Compliance Levels

PCI DSS compliance is categorized into different levels based on the volume of transactions processed annually:

Level 1

Criteria: Over 6 million Visa or MasterCard transactions annually, or any organization that has experienced a data breach. Requirements: Annual on-site audit conducted by a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA), and a quarterly network scan by an Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV).

Level 2

Criteria: 1 to 6 million Visa or MasterCard transactions annually. Requirements: Annual self-assessment questionnaire (SAQ), and a quarterly network scan by an ASV.

Level 3

Criteria: 20,000 to 1 million e-commerce Visa or MasterCard transactions annually. Requirements: Annual SAQ, and a quarterly network scan by an ASV.

Level 4

Criteria: Fewer than 20,000 e-commerce Visa or MasterCard transactions annually, or up to 1 million total transactions annually. Requirements: Annual SAQ, and a quarterly network scan by an ASV (recommended but not always required).

Verifying Compliance

When choosing a payment gateway, it’s important to verify their PCI DSS compliance level and ensure it aligns with your business needs. Here’s how you can do that:

Request Documentation

Ask the payment gateway provider for their Attestation of Compliance (AOC) or Report on Compliance (ROC). These documents are issued by a QSA and certify that the provider meets the required security standards.

Check for Certification

Verify if the payment gateway is listed on the PCI Security Standards Council’s list of compliant service providers. This can be done through the official PCI SSC website.

Understand Their Level of Compliance

Determine which level of PCI DSS compliance the payment gateway adheres to based on their transaction volume and security measures. For most large-scale providers, Level 1 compliance is expected due to the high volume of transactions they process.

Review Their Security Measures

Ensure that the payment gateway employs robust security measures such as data encryption, tokenization, and regular security audits. These practices should align with the requirements of PCI DSS.

Importance of PCI DSS Compliance

Data Security: Ensures the protection of sensitive cardholder data from breaches and fraud. Trust and Reputation: Enhances customer trust and protects your business’s reputation by demonstrating a commitment to data security. Legal and Financial Liability: Reduces the risk of fines and penalties associated with non-compliance and data breaches.

Example Compliance Statements

A PCI DSS-compliant payment gateway might state the following:

“We are PCI DSS Level 1 compliant, which means we undergo an annual on-site audit by a QSA and perform quarterly network scans by an ASV.”

“Our payment processing systems are fully compliant with PCI DSS standards, ensuring the highest level of data security for our customers.”

By ensuring that your payment gateway is PCI DSS compliant and understanding their level of compliance, you can better protect your business and your customers from potential security threats.