PCI controls that stay current
Keep PCI DSS requirements passing even as your CDE evolves
episki maps DSS requirements, automates testing, and keeps QSAs collaborating in one secure workspace.
What is PCI DSS?
PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is a set of security requirements designed to protect cardholder data wherever it is processed, stored, or transmitted. It is maintained by the PCI Security Standards Council and enforced by payment card brands.
The 12 requirement domains
PCI DSS v4.0 organizes controls across twelve requirement families covering network security, access control, vulnerability management, monitoring, and information security policy. Each requirement maps to specific testing procedures that a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) validates during the assessment.
SAQ vs ROC
- Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) — for smaller merchants and service providers with limited cardholder data exposure.
- Report on Compliance (ROC) — a formal audit conducted by a QSA, required for Level 1 merchants and service providers processing high transaction volumes.
Key focus areas
- Cardholder data environment (CDE) scoping — accurately defining which systems, networks, and processes touch card data is the foundation of a clean assessment.
- Network segmentation — isolating the CDE reduces the number of systems in scope and limits blast radius.
- Continuous monitoring — PCI DSS v4.0 emphasizes ongoing security rather than point-in-time compliance, requiring organizations to detect and respond to threats between assessments.
PCI DSS topics
Deep-dive into specific PCI DSS compliance topics.
PCI DSS Compliance Levels
An explanation of PCI DSS merchant and service provider compliance levels, transaction thresholds, and validation requirements for each level.
PCI DSS Requirements
A detailed overview of all 12 PCI DSS requirements, what each covers, and how they changed in version 4.0.
PCI DSS Scope Reduction
Strategies for reducing PCI DSS scope through network segmentation, tokenization, point-to-point encryption, and cardholder data environment management.
PCI DSS outcomes with episki
Quantify the impact security and compliance brings to your business.
90% automation
Evidence coverage across access, logging, segmentation, and monitoring.
QSA portal
Scoped access keeps your assessor in sync without endless spreadsheets.
Weekly drift checks
Automated alerts highlight misconfigurations before audits.
Why teams choose episki for PCI DSS
Framework-specific automation, collaboration, and reporting in one workspace.
Cardholder data mapped
Visualize systems, networks, and data flows tied to each DSS requirement.
- Track segmentation documentation and approvals
- Connect SIEM and log tools for retention evidence
- Link vulnerability scans and pen tests to controls
Task orchestration for engineering
Send prioritized remediation tasks to Jira or Linear with context.
- Auto-created tickets with required evidence
- SLA tracking ensures high-risk remediations close on time
- Change management logs sync back automatically
QSA-ready collaboration
Centralize requests, walkthroughs, and findings with secure file sharing.
- QSA comments resolve next to each control
- Expiring links for sensitive diagrams
- Exportable ROC narrative drafts
PCI DSS playbook
Follow structured milestones from scoping through ROC submission.
Plug episki into your stack and work directly from this checklist during the free trial.
- ✓ Automated scope confirmation questionnaires
- ✓ Connector-backed logging and monitoring checks
- ✓ Quarterly vulnerability and penetration testing tracker
- ✓ Change-management evidence capture
- ✓ ROC narrative template and artifact index
PCI enablement kit
PCI enablement kit
Give leadership, ops, and QSAs a single source of truth.
CDE architecture report
Share sanitized diagrams and segmentation notes with prospects.
Risk and remediation digest
Weekly summary of open items, owners, and due dates.
Assessor workspace
Prebuilt template keeps every requirement, artifact, and note aligned.
PCI DSS frequently asked questions
PCI DSS has four merchant levels based on annual transaction volume. Level 1 (over 6 million transactions) requires a formal Report on Compliance by a QSA. Levels 2-4 may self-assess using the appropriate Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ). Service providers have two levels with different validation requirements.
PCI DSS 4.0 introduced a customized validation approach allowing organizations to meet objectives with alternative controls, expanded multi-factor authentication requirements, strengthened e-commerce and phishing protections, and added emphasis on continuous security rather than point-in-time compliance.
Any organization that stores, processes, or transmits cardholder data must comply with PCI DSS. This includes merchants, payment processors, acquirers, issuers, and service providers. The scope is determined by your cardholder data environment (CDE).
PCI DSS assessments are required annually. Level 1 merchants and service providers must complete a formal assessment by a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA). Additionally, quarterly network vulnerability scans by an Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV) are required.
The CDE includes all people, processes, and technologies that store, process, or transmit cardholder data or sensitive authentication data, plus any systems connected to those components. Accurate CDE scoping is the foundation of an efficient PCI DSS assessment.
Related terms
What is Access Control?What is an Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV)?What is an Audit Trail?What is a Cardholder Data Environment?What is Change Management?What is Encryption?What is Evidence Collection?What is a Firewall?What is a Framework?What is GRC?What is Job Separation?What is Key Management?What is Least Privilege?What is Log Management?What is Malware?What is Monitoring?What is Multi-Factor Authentication?What is Network Security?What is Offboarding?What is a Primary Account Number (PAN)?What is PCI DSS?What is PCI Scope?What is Penetration Testing?What is a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA)?What is Remediation?What is a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ)?What is Security Awareness Training?What is Tokenization?What is Web Application Security?
Other compliance frameworks
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