In January 2005, MasterCard and Visa combined their security standards to create a joint standard and named it Payment Card Industry (PCI). It has also been endorsed by the other major card associations.
If your business stores, processes, transmits or has access to card data you need to meet the 12 requirements set out in the program:
Build and maintain a secure network
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.
Protect cardholder data
3. Protect stored cardholder data.
4. Encrypt transmission of cardholder data across open, public networks.
Maintain a vulnerability management program
5. Use and regularly update anti-virus software.
6. Develop and maintain secure systems and applications.
Implement strong access control measures
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.
Regularly monitor and test networks
10. Track and monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data.
11. Regularly test security systems and processes.
Maintain an information security policy
12. Maintain a policy that addresses information security.
