PCI Compliance Policy

A. Overview

This PCI Compliance Policy sets forth the guidelines, responsibilities, and practices required to ensure that [YOUR COMPANY NAME] complies with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) requirements. This policy is essential to safeguard sensitive cardholder data, reduce risk, and maintain trust with our customers and partners.

B. Scope

This policy applies to all employees, contractors, vendors, and third parties involved in handling payment card information within the organization. This includes the processing, storage, transmission, and disposal of cardholder data.

C. Roles and Responsibilities

PCI Compliance Officer: Oversees the implementation and management of PCI DSS compliance efforts.

IT Department: Ensures the network infrastructure and systems are secure and compliant with PCI DSS requirements.

Finance Department: Manages the reconciliation and reporting of payment card transactions.

All Employees: Adhere to the policies and procedures outlined and report any suspicious activities or breaches.

D. Data Protection

The organization shall employ the following measures to protect cardholder data:

Encrypt cardholder data during transmission and storage using strong cryptographic methods.
Restrict access to cardholder data to only those individuals and systems with a valid business need.
Regularly update and patch systems involved in processing payment card data.
Implement multi-factor authentication for accessing systems that store cardholder data.

E. Access Control

Access to payment card information and associated systems will be strictly controlled through the following measures:

Role-based access controls to limit data access to authorized personnel only.
Unique user IDs and strong passwords for system access.
Regular review and update of access permissions.
Automatic session timeout to reduce unauthorized access risks.

F. Incident Response

In the event of a security breach involving cardholder data, the organization shall:

Immediately notify the PCI Compliance Officer.
Activate the incident response plan to contain and mitigate the breach.
Conduct a forensic investigation to determine the cause and extent of the breach.
Notify affected customers and regulatory authorities as required.

G. Training and Awareness

All personnel involved in handling payment card data will receive regular training on PCI DSS requirements, data security best practices, and the organization's compliance policies. Training sessions will be conducted at least annually and upon hire.

H. Monitoring and Reporting

The organization will continuously monitor its systems and processes to ensure ongoing PCI DSS compliance:

Regularly perform internal and external vulnerability scans.
Conduct annual PCI DSS self-assessment questionnaires (SAQ).
Maintain logs of access to cardholder data and monitor for suspicious activity.
Prepare and submit compliance reports to acquiring banks and card brands as required.

I. Continuous Improvement

This policy will be reviewed and updated at least annually to incorporate changes to PCI DSS requirements, emerging threats, and best practices. The organization is committed to continuously improving its data security measures.

J. References

Document	Source	Description
PCI DSS Requirements and Security Assessment Procedures	PCI Security Standards Council	Comprehensive guidelines for PCI DSS compliance.
Incident Response Plan	Organization's Internal Policy	Procedures for responding to security breaches involving cardholder data.

K. Appendices

Appendix A: Glossary of Terms

Term	Definition
Cardholder Data (CHD)	Full Primary Account Number (PAN) or the PAN in conjunction with cardholder name, expiration date, and/or service code.
PCI DSS	Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard; a set of security standards designed to protect card information during and after a financial transaction.

Appendix B: Contact Information

Contact	Role	Phone
[YOUR NAME]	PCI Compliance Officer	222 555 7777
Dave Nuens	IT Security Manager	222 555 7777