Tips for Deciding Which PCI DSS Level Is Best for Your Company
Tips for Deciding Which PCI DSS Level Is Best for Your Company
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Tips for Deciding Which PCI DSS Level Is Best for Your Company
There is no universally applicable PCI DSS certification. Based on the amount of transactions, the PCI SSC classifies organizations into several tiers. For compliance and cost effectiveness, it is crucial to choose the proper level of PCI DSS certification in Boston.
Level 4 is the most stringent of the four PCI DSS compliance levels, which go all the way down to Level 1.
Organizations with a yearly credit card processing volume of 6 million or more are considered to be at PCI Level 1: This level of PCI compliance has the most stringent reporting requirements out of the four. Level 1 merchants are now obliged to submit a Report on Compliance (RoC) annually rather than a self-assessment questionnaire (SAQ). A Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) from outside the organization will work with the business to complete a RoC. If a business has met all of the requirements set out by the PCI DSS, the QSA will conduct an audit to find out and then put all of the findings into a report. It is mandatory to conduct these audits annually. Not only is the RoC tested annually for Level 1 merchants, but quarterly network scans and penetration tests are also utilized. Also included in Level 1 audits is an Attestation of Compliance (AoC) form. The QSA's signature on this document confirms that the company has met all of the criteria for PCI DSS Certification. Keep in mind that acquiring banks or requesting parties can put any merchant in Level 1 if they've had a data breach that affected cardholder data.
Businesses that process between one million and six million credit card transactions per year are considered to be at PCI Level 2: These retailers are exempt from the need that they submit a compliance audit report to the QSA each year. Instead, they will be asked to fill out a short answer questionnaire. At PCI Level 2, it may be required to have a third-party QSA firm certify against this SAQ. A self-assessment questionnaire (SAQ) is a collection of questions designed to assess your PCI compliance. Whether you're a service provider or a merchant, and the type of merchant you are, will determine which of the eight SAQs you need to complete.
Businesses that process 20,000 to 1,000,000 credit card transactions per year are considered to be at PCI Level 3: Complete penetration testing and ASV scanning are components of a SAQ that these merchants are required to complete for their organization. In addition, they need to complete an AoC and have an ASV scan them every three months.
Businesses with 20,000 or less yearly credit card transactions are considered to be at PCLevel 4 : A SAQ, in addition to the required penetration testing and ASV scanning, is all that is required for small enterprises to fall under this compliance category.
Different PCI compliance levels have different reporting requirements; for example, Level 1 necessitates an audit by an outside party, whereas Level 4 calls for self-attestation.
A PCI DSS consultancy in Boston can assess your company's processes and advise you on the most economical and compliant certification level.
You may stay in compliance without breaking the bank by picking the correct certification level. One way to make this decision-making process easier is to work with a certified PCI DSS consultant in Boston.