A Detailed Guide to Four Levels of PCI Compliance!

 The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is the worldwide data security standard developed by the major payment brands like Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. It outlines how organizations must handle customers’ sensitive financial information and provides a common set of requirements to protect customer data. Compliance with the PCI DSS requires merchants to meet specific requirements in the four levels of compliance outlined below.


Level 1: Large merchants, including any entity that processes over 6 million Visa transactions annually, must follow Level 1 PCI Compliance standards. These organizations are required to conduct a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) and submit quarterly scans from an approved scanning vendor to demonstrate their compliance.


Level 2: Merchants with 1 million to 6 million Visa transactions annually must follow Level 2 PCI Compliance standards. These organizations are required to conduct an SAQ and submit annual scans from an approved scanning vendor to demonstrate their compliance.


Level 3: Organizations with 20,000 to 1 million Visa transactions annually must adhere to the Level 3 PCI Compliance standards. These organizations are required to conduct an SAQ and submit quarterly scans from an approved scanning vendor to demonstrate their compliance.


Level 4: All merchants processing less than 20,000 Visa transactions annually must adhere to the Level 4 PCI Compliance standards. These organizations are required to complete and submit an SAQ with their report of compliance on an annual basis.


It is important to note that all merchants, regardless of PCI Compliance level, must pass a quarterly or annual scan from an approved scanning vendor in order to remain compliant with the PCI DSS requirements. Additionally, organizations should also be aware that specific industry regulations may require them to adhere to additional standards beyond those outlined by the PCI DSS.


By following these four levels of PCI Compliance, organizations can demonstrate their commitment to protecting customer data and ensure they remain compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. It is critical to understand each level's requirements and properly implement security measures across the entire organization in order to maintain compliance.

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