PCI DISS stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. It is basically an information security standard that organizations which handle cardholder information must use. The standard was created to ensure heightened controls surrounding cardholder data with the end of reducing credit card fraud. The standard was outlined by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council. An external Qualified Security Assessor checks that organisations are complying with the standard, and this check is carried out annually.

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard commenced as five different programs: MasterCard Site Data Protection, Visa Card Information Security Program, American Express Data Security Operating Policy, the JCB Data Security Program, and Discover Information and Compliance. Wow, I did not know that, did you? If you did not know this, you’re more than welcome for my kindness in imparting these facts. What can I say, I am a philanthropist. Each company shared the same intentions, to introduce an extra level of protection for card issuers by taking action to ensure that all merchants met certain minimum levels of security.