Payment Data Discovery
PCI DSS scope starts with understanding the transaction
An accurate assessment depends on knowing where payment account data enters the organisation, which systems handle it, where it travels, whether it is stored, and which external providers support the transaction.
Incomplete data flows can leave connected systems, administrative access, web components, and third party dependencies outside the assessment.
Output: A documented payment data flow that supports accurate PCI DSS scoping.
CDE Scoping
The environment includes more than systems that store card data
PCI DSS scope can include systems that store, process, or transmit account data and systems that could affect the security of the Cardholder Data Environment.
Complete organisation
Zone 1 — Cardholder Data Environment
Zone 2 — Connected or security impacting
Zone 3 — Out of scope systems
Out of scope status must be supported by architecture, segmentation, configuration, testing, and current evidence.
Scope Management
Reduce scope before adding controls
Uncontrolled scope
Reduced and defined scope
Scope reduction does not remove responsibility. It concentrates PCI DSS effort on a clearly defined environment and makes control ownership easier to manage.
PCI DSS v4.0.1 Requirements
Twelve requirement areas protect payment account data
Ecommerce Exposure
Payment page security includes every script that can affect the transaction
What should be examined
Ecommerce scope can extend beyond the payment form itself. Scripts and web components that can affect payment security need clear authorisation, integrity controls, inventory, and monitoring.
Control Validation
Security controls need technical and operational testing
Vulnerability management
Penetration and segmentation testing
Continuous security validation
Testing should identify the systems examined, method used, findings, remediation, retesting, and final status.
Our Services
PCI DSS services
Group 1 — Define and assess
PCI DSS scoping and data flow assessment
Identify payment channels, account data flows, CDE boundaries, connected systems, and external providers.
PCI DSS gap assessment
Assess the current environment against applicable PCI DSS v4.0.1 requirements.
Segmentation review
Evaluate whether segmentation controls adequately isolate the CDE from other environments.
Group 2 — Test and prepare
PCI DSS penetration and security testing
Perform agreed technical testing of payment applications, infrastructure, networks, and segmentation controls.
PCI DSS remediation advisory
Help control owners address identified gaps, improve documentation, and prepare supporting evidence.
PCI DSS validation readiness
Review assessment scope, applicable requirements, available evidence, testing results, and unresolved gaps before formal validation.
Need help confirming your PCI DSS assessment scope?
Discuss your payment environmentService Provider Oversight
Outsourcing payment activity does not remove oversight
Third party service providers can store, process, transmit, or affect the security of payment account data. Their role, responsibilities, services, and compliance status should be understood and monitored.
A service provider's compliance does not automatically cover the customer's retained responsibilities.
Implementation Approaches
Defined and customised approaches
Defined Approach
The organisation implements the method described within the applicable PCI DSS requirement.
Best suited when
Customised Approach
The organisation designs controls that meet the stated security objective through a different method and supports them with detailed evidence and risk analysis.
Requires
The appropriate approach depends on eligibility, validation requirements, technical design, evidence, and acceptance by the relevant compliance programme. The Customised Approach is not available through every SAQ.
Assessment Evidence
Evidence required for assessment
Validation Pathway
Choose the correct validation path
The required validation method depends on the organisation's role, payment channels, transaction environment, eligibility, acquiring bank, payment brand, and applicable compliance programme.
SAQ
A Self Assessment Questionnaire is available to eligible merchants and service providers based on defined eligibility criteria.
ROC
A Report on Compliance documents the results of a detailed PCI DSS assessment.
AOC
An Attestation of Compliance is the official PCI SSC form used to attest to the result documented through an SAQ or ROC.
Organisations should confirm validation requirements with their acquiring bank, payment brand, or compliance programme.
Engagement Process
How the engagement works
Discover payment channels
Identify ecommerce, point of sale, telephone, mobile, recurring payment, and outsourced processing channels.
Map account data
Trace how account data is collected, transmitted, processed, stored, accessed, and disposed.
Confirm the CDE
Identify in scope systems, connected components, security impacting services, people, locations, and providers.
Assess and test
Review applicable requirements, inspect evidence, and perform agreed technical testing.
Remediate gaps
Prioritise corrective action, assign owners, track completion, and retest affected controls.
Prepare evidence
Organise documentation, testing results, control records, and open items for the required validation process.
Outcome: A defined payment environment with tested controls and organised validation evidence.
Continuous Compliance
Keep controls operating between assessments
PCI DSS compliance is not a one-time exercise. Controls must continue to operate after validation.
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Actual control frequencies must follow applicable PCI DSS requirements and the organisation's documented risk based decisions.
Payment security depends on accurate scope and current evidence
Digisecuritas connects PCI DSS requirements with payment flows, application architecture, infrastructure, people, service providers, technical testing, and business responsibility.
Leadership receives a clear view of scope, material gaps, remediation priorities, and readiness for the required validation process.
Independent assessment
Receive an objective view without payment technology or product bias.
Technical and compliance expertise
Connect formal requirements with architecture, applications, access, monitoring, and testing.
Evidence based findings
Support observations with documentation, configuration, records, interviews, and technical validation.
Practical remediation
Give control owners clear actions, priorities, and evidence requirements.
Executive clarity
Present payment security exposure and open decisions in clear business language.
Frequently Asked Questions
PCI DSS questions answered
Bring clarity to your payment security scope
Map your payment data, identify PCI DSS gaps, test critical controls, and prepare for the required validation process.