Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of security standards designed to ensure that all companies that accept, process, store, or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment. It was established by major credit card brands (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and JCB) to protect cardholder data and reduce credit card fraud. Compliance involves implementing technical and operational controls across networks, systems, and applications that handle payment card data.
Developers should learn PCI DSS when building or maintaining systems that handle payment card transactions, such as e-commerce platforms, payment gateways, or point-of-sale systems, to ensure legal compliance and avoid hefty fines or data breaches. It is critical for roles in fintech, retail, or any industry processing payments, as non-compliance can lead to financial penalties, loss of customer trust, and legal liabilities. Understanding PCI DSS helps in designing secure architectures, implementing encryption, access controls, and regular security testing.