PCI DSS 4.0: Key Changes You Need To Know

In 2006, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) was first released. These security standards apply to all companies that store, transmit, process, or handle cardholder data. 

They require businesses to maintain a secure environment to protect this information. As the ecommerce and cyberthreat landscapes continue to evolve, PCI DSS is being modified accordingly, with Version 4.0 its most recent iteration. 

As a business owner, it is crucial that you understand PCI DSS 4.0’s key features and how it differs from its predecessors.

PCI DSS 4.0 objectives

Specifically, PCI DSS 4.0 has been designed to achieve four particular objectives: address evolving security needs, promote continuous processes, improve validation methods, and add flexibility.

Address evolving security needs

The payment security landscape is constantly reeling from the effects of ever-changing attack threats. In response, PCI DSS is helping businesses to mitigate these challenges by introducing controls. 

Additionally, the standard promotes proactive risk identification and mitigation that can detect and address vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them.

Promote continuous processes

In the past, businesses conducted snapshot assessments of their security systems in an attempt to identify vulnerabilities. However, today’s technology allows for real-time monitoring, making it possible to address vulnerabilities more quickly. 

This is aided when security controls are embedded directly into day-to-day operations. The standard also emphasizes the importance of implementing strategies for continual compliance and security improvements.

Improve validation methods

In order to enhance credibility, the new standard calls for improved validation tactics. Specifically, these relate to better methods for reporting compliance across all systems, updated auditing processes, and the integration of automated compliance monitoring tools.

Add flexibility

PCI DSS 4.0 also lays out new security approaches that lead to added flexibility. The developers now recognize that businesses operate with differing situations and priorities. 

The new standard allows them to implement customized security frameworks based on their unique risk assessments. As a result, they will now be able to channel their resources toward areas that represent the highest potential level of security risk. 

Version 4.0 supports the use of emerging security solutions to address evolving payment methods and threats. Innovations like machine learning and behavioral analytics are included to help with risk mitigation.

Changes in PCI DSS requirements

Security controls in PCI DSS 4.0 have now been aligned to meet industry best practices. Changes involve network security controls, secure configurations, account data security, data transmission security, user identification, and policies and security awareness.

To adjust to changes in the payment security landscape, PCI DSS 4.0 includes several significant updates to the requirements that businesses must meet. 

Network security

First, network security must now encompass all access points. These days, firewalls are not enough. Moreover, the standard emphasizes the importance of network segmentation to limit the damage that a breach could do to critical systems and to reduce its overall impact.

Furthermore, the security of all network configurations must be safeguarded. This requirement pertains to all hardware and software. 

Secure configurations

All industry best practices for hardening systems must be implemented. To these ends, PCI DSS 4.0 recommends the use of automated tools to accomplish this configuration management and streamline compliance across all environments.

Additionally, data protection at all touchpoints is more important than ever. The standard requires the implementation of more advanced encryption and tokenization techniques and algorithms, discouraging the storage of sensitive cardholder data.

In the same vein, all data that is transmitted over public or untrusted networks must be encrypted using advanced protocols. There are also new requirements for storing and handling the encryption keys that are used for data transmission.

User identification

Those who come into contact with data are also subject to stricter requirements. Both users and administrators must now utilize strong passwords and multi-factor authentication. 

Depending on the sensitivity of the access requested, the standard now recommends implementing adaptive authentication. This approach maximizes data security while maintaining a seamless user experience.

Policies and security awareness

Underpinning all of these enhanced requirements, PCI DSS 4.0 requires enhanced employee training and awareness. 

Employee instruction should include a focus on emerging threats and how to respond effectively. All organizational security policies must be documented, implemented, reviewed, enforced, and updated regularly.

PCI DSS 4.0 represents the payment card industry’s most recent attempt to meet the evolving features and challenges of today’s payment security ecosystem. 

Implementing these requirements gives businesses an unprecedented level of customizability, threat detection, and risk mitigation. This ensures the highest standard of cardholder data protection available.