name: pci-dss-compliance description: PCI DSS compliance planning for payment card handling including scope reduction, SAQ selection, and security controls allowed-tools: Read, Glob, Grep, Write, Edit, Task

PCI DSS Compliance Planning

Comprehensive guidance for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard compliance before development begins.

When to Use This Skill

Building e-commerce or payment processing systems
Integrating with payment gateways or processors
Designing scope reduction strategies (tokenization, P2PE)
Selecting appropriate SAQ for your business
Preparing for PCI DSS assessments

PCI DSS Fundamentals

Cardholder Data Elements

Data Element	Description	Storage Permitted?	Protection Required
PAN	Primary Account Number (16 digits)	Yes, if protected	Render unreadable
Cardholder Name	Name on card	Yes	Protect per requirement
Service Code	3-4 digit code	Yes	Protect per requirement
Expiration Date	MM/YY	Yes	Protect per requirement
CVV/CVC	Card verification value	NEVER after auth	N/A - never store
PIN/PIN Block	Personal identification	NEVER after auth	N/A - never store
Full Track Data	Magnetic stripe data	NEVER after auth	N/A - never store

The 12 Requirements (PCI DSS 4.0)

Goal 1: Build and Maintain a Secure Network and Systems
  1. Install and maintain network security controls
  2. Apply secure configurations to all system components

Goal 2: Protect Account Data
  3. Protect stored account data
  4. Protect cardholder data with strong cryptography during transmission

Goal 3: Maintain a Vulnerability Management Program
  5. Protect all systems and networks from malicious software
  6. Develop and maintain secure systems and software

Goal 4: Implement Strong Access Control Measures
  7. Restrict access to cardholder data by business need-to-know
  8. Identify users and authenticate access to system components
  9. Restrict physical access to cardholder data

Goal 5: Regularly Monitor and Test Networks
  10. Log and monitor all access to system components and cardholder data
  11. Test security of systems and networks regularly

Goal 6: Maintain an Information Security Policy
  12. Support information security with organizational policies and programs

Scope Reduction Strategies

Understanding PCI Scope

In Scope: Any system that stores, processes, or transmits cardholder data, OR connects to systems that do.

Scope Reduction Goal: Minimize systems handling raw cardholder data.

Strategy 1: Tokenization

Replace PAN with non-sensitive token; processor stores actual card data.

// Client-side tokenization flow
public class PaymentTokenization
{
    private readonly IPaymentGateway _gateway;

    public async Task<PaymentResult> ProcessPayment(
        string clientToken, // Token created in browser via gateway's JS
        decimal amount,
        string currency,
        CancellationToken ct)
    {
        // Server never sees raw card data - only token
        var request = new ChargeRequest
        {
            Token = clientToken,
            Amount = amount,
            Currency = currency,
            MerchantReference = Guid.NewGuid().ToString()
        };

        // Token is exchanged for payment at gateway
        var result = await _gateway.Charge(request, ct);

        // Store only the transaction reference, never card data
        return new PaymentResult
        {
            TransactionId = result.TransactionId,
            Status = result.Status,
            // Store token for recurring payments (if vaulted)
            VaultToken = result.VaultToken
        };
    }
}

// Scope: Only gateway SDK is in scope, not your entire application

Strategy 2: Hosted Payment Page (Redirect)

Customer enters card data on processor's page; you never handle card data.

public class HostedPaymentFlow
{
    private readonly IHostedPaymentProvider _provider;

    public async Task<string> CreatePaymentSession(
        Order order,
        CancellationToken ct)
    {
        var session = await _provider.CreateSession(new SessionRequest
        {
            Amount = order.Total,
            Currency = order.Currency,
            SuccessUrl = $"https://example.com/payment/success?order={order.Id}",
            CancelUrl = $"https://example.com/payment/cancel?order={order.Id}",
            WebhookUrl = "https://example.com/api/payment-webhook",
            Metadata = new Dictionary<string, string>
            {
                ["order_id"] = order.Id.ToString()
            }
        }, ct);

        // Redirect customer to processor's hosted page
        return session.RedirectUrl;
    }

    // Webhook receives payment confirmation - no card data
    public async Task HandleWebhook(PaymentWebhook webhook, CancellationToken ct)
    {
        // Verify webhook signature
        if (!_provider.VerifySignature(webhook))
            throw new SecurityException("Invalid webhook signature");

        // Update order status
        var orderId = Guid.Parse(webhook.Metadata["order_id"]);
        await _orderService.MarkPaid(orderId, webhook.TransactionId, ct);
    }
}

Strategy 3: iFrame/Embedded Fields

Card fields are hosted by processor but appear on your page.

<!-- Stripe Elements example - fields hosted by Stripe -->
<form id="payment-form">
    <div id="card-element">
        <!-- Stripe injects secure card input here -->
    </div>
    <button type="submit">Pay</button>
</form>

<script>
// Card data never touches your server
const stripe = Stripe('pk_live_xxx');
const elements = stripe.elements();
const cardElement = elements.create('card');
cardElement.mount('#card-element');

form.addEventListener('submit', async (e) => {
    e.preventDefault();
    // Token created client-side, sent to your server
    const {token} = await stripe.createToken(cardElement);
    // Only token goes to your server
    await fetch('/api/payment', {
        method: 'POST',
        body: JSON.stringify({ token: token.id })
    });
});
</script>

Strategy 4: Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE)

Hardware encrypts card data at swipe; decryption only at processor.

Card Swipe → P2PE Terminal → Encrypted → Your Systems → Processor
                                        (can't decrypt)

Benefits:
- Your systems handle encrypted data only
- Dramatically reduced scope
- Requires P2PE validated solution

Scope Reduction Comparison

Strategy	Your PCI Scope	SAQ Type	Complexity
Store raw cards	Full environment	D	Very High
Tokenization (API)	Token handling systems	A-EP or D	Medium
iFrame/Hosted Fields	Minimal (web page)	A or A-EP	Low
Redirect to Processor	None (referrer only)	A	Very Low
P2PE Hardware	Terminal + network	P2PE	Low

SAQ Selection Guide

SAQ Types Overview

SAQ	Applies To	Requirements	Questions
A	E-commerce, all card functions outsourced	No CHD on your systems	~24
A-EP	E-commerce, website impacts card security	iFrame/JS approach	~191
B	Imprint/standalone dial terminals only	No electronic storage	~41
B-IP	Standalone IP-connected terminals	No electronic storage	~82
C	Payment app on internet-connected systems	No electronic storage	~160
C-VT	Virtual terminal, no electronic storage	Web-based, no storage	~79
D	All other merchants	Full requirements	~329
D (SP)	Service providers	Full requirements	~400+
P2PE	Using validated P2PE solution	Terminal + P2PE	~33

Decision Tree

Do you store/process/transmit CHD electronically?
├─ NO: Are you e-commerce only?
│   ├─ YES: All card functions outsourced?
│   │   ├─ YES → SAQ A
│   │   └─ NO: Website controls redirect/iFrame?
│   │       ├─ YES → SAQ A-EP
│   │       └─ NO → SAQ D
│   └─ NO: Card-present only?
│       ├─ Imprint/standalone dial → SAQ B
│       ├─ Standalone IP terminals → SAQ B-IP
│       ├─ P2PE validated solution → SAQ P2PE
│       └─ Other → SAQ C or D
└─ YES: → SAQ D (full assessment)

Security Controls Implementation

Requirement 3: Protect Stored Account Data

// PAN masking (display only first 6, last 4)
public static class PanMasking
{
    public static string Mask(string pan)
    {
        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(pan) || pan.Length < 13)
            return pan;

        // First 6 (BIN) + masked middle + last 4
        var first6 = pan[..6];
        var last4 = pan[^4..];
        var maskedLength = pan.Length - 10;

        return $"{first6}{new string('*', maskedLength)}{last4}";
    }

    // Example: 4111111111111111 → 411111******1111
}

// Strong cryptography for stored PAN (when storage required)
public class PanEncryption
{
    private readonly IKeyManagement _keyManager;

    public async Task<EncryptedPan> Encrypt(string pan, CancellationToken ct)
    {
        // Use AES-256 minimum
        var key = await _keyManager.GetCurrentKey("pan-encryption", ct);

        using var aes = Aes.Create();
        aes.Key = key.KeyMaterial;
        aes.GenerateIV();

        using var encryptor = aes.CreateEncryptor();
        var plainBytes = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(pan);
        var encryptedBytes = encryptor.TransformFinalBlock(plainBytes, 0, plainBytes.Length);

        return new EncryptedPan
        {
            EncryptedData = Convert.ToBase64String(encryptedBytes),
            KeyId = key.KeyId,
            IV = Convert.ToBase64String(aes.IV)
        };
    }
}

Requirement 4: Encrypt Transmission

// TLS 1.2+ enforcement
public static class TlsConfiguration
{
    public static void ConfigureSecureDefaults()
    {
        // Disable older protocols
        ServicePointManager.SecurityProtocol =
            SecurityProtocolType.Tls12 |
            SecurityProtocolType.Tls13;
    }
}

// ASP.NET Core configuration
public class Program
{
    public static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);

        builder.WebHost.ConfigureKestrel(options =>
        {
            options.ConfigureHttpsDefaults(https =>
            {
                https.SslProtocols = SslProtocols.Tls12 | SslProtocols.Tls13;
            });
        });

        // ... rest of configuration
    }
}

Requirement 8: Authentication

// Multi-factor authentication for CDE access
public class PciMfaPolicy
{
    public bool RequiresMfa(string userId, string resourcePath)
    {
        // MFA required for all CDE access
        var cdeResources = new[]
        {
            "/admin/payments",
            "/api/transactions",
            "/reports/cardholder"
        };

        return cdeResources.Any(r =>
            resourcePath.StartsWith(r, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase));
    }
}

// Password policy (PCI DSS 4.0)
public class PciPasswordPolicy : IPasswordPolicy
{
    public PasswordRequirements GetRequirements()
    {
        return new PasswordRequirements
        {
            MinimumLength = 12,          // 4.0 increased from 7
            RequireComplexity = true,    // Multiple character types
            MaxAgeInDays = 90,           // Force change every 90 days
            HistoryCount = 4,            // Can't reuse last 4
            LockoutThreshold = 10,       // Lock after 10 failed attempts
            LockoutDurationMinutes = 30,
            IdleTimeoutMinutes = 15      // Session timeout for CDE access
        };
    }
}

Requirement 10: Logging and Monitoring

// PCI-compliant audit logging
public class PciAuditLogger
{
    private readonly ILogger _logger;
    private readonly TimeProvider _timeProvider;

    public void LogCdeAccess(CdeAccessEvent accessEvent)
    {
        // PCI requires: who, what, when, where, success/failure
        var entry = new AuditEntry
        {
            Timestamp = _timeProvider.GetUtcNow(),
            UserId = accessEvent.UserId,
            UserName = accessEvent.UserName,
            EventType = accessEvent.EventType.ToString(),
            Resource = accessEvent.Resource,
            Action = accessEvent.Action,
            SourceIp = accessEvent.SourceIp,
            Success = accessEvent.Success,
            Details = accessEvent.Details
        };

        // Never log actual card data
        _logger.LogInformation(
            "CDE_ACCESS: User={UserId} Action={Action} Resource={Resource} Success={Success} IP={SourceIp}",
            entry.UserId,
            entry.Action,
            entry.Resource,
            entry.Success,
            entry.SourceIp);

        // Retain logs for minimum 1 year
        // Immediately available for 3 months
    }

    public void LogSecurityEvent(SecurityEvent secEvent)
    {
        // Security events to log:
        // - All access to CHD
        // - All actions by admin/root
        // - All invalid access attempts
        // - Creation/deletion of system objects
        // - Initialization of audit logs
        // - Stopping/pausing of audit logs
    }
}

Network Segmentation

CDE Network Isolation

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                     Corporate Network                        │
│  ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐   │
│  │              Cardholder Data Environment             │   │
│  │  ┌──────────┐    ┌──────────┐    ┌──────────┐       │   │
│  │  │ Payment  │    │ Database │    │   Admin  │       │   │
│  │  │  Server  │────│  Server  │────│ Jumphost │       │   │
│  │  └──────────┘    └──────────┘    └──────────┘       │   │
│  │       │                               │              │   │
│  │       │ ← Firewall/ACLs →            │              │   │
│  └───────┼──────────────────────────────┼──────────────┘   │
│          │                               │                  │
│    ┌─────▼─────┐                   ┌─────▼─────┐           │
│    │  Web App  │                   │   Admin   │           │
│    │ (no CHD)  │                   │  Worksta. │           │
│    └───────────┘                   └───────────┘           │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Firewall Rules for CDE

# Example firewall rules
CDE_Ingress:
  - Allow: Payment API (443) from Web Tier only
  - Allow: SSH (22) from Jumphost only
  - Allow: Database (5432) from Payment Server only
  - Deny: All other

CDE_Egress:
  - Allow: Payment Processor API (443)
  - Allow: NTP (123) to approved servers
  - Allow: Syslog (514) to SIEM
  - Deny: All other

PCI Compliance Checklist

Before Development

Identify all payment flows
Select scope reduction strategy
Choose appropriate SAQ type
Establish CDE boundaries
Review vendor PCI compliance (AOCs)

Architecture & Design

Document network segmentation
Define encryption strategy (storage and transit)
Design access control model
Plan audit logging approach
Ensure no CVV/PIN storage

pci-dss-compliance

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