PCI DSS

pee-see-eye dee-ess-essnoun, abbreviation

Topic: Payments and security

1. Short for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard: the set of security rules, created by the major card brands, that applies to any business that takes card payments.
2. How much of it applies to you depends on how you take payments. The simplest way to stay compliant is never to handle card numbers at all, by sending customers to a payment page hosted by your gateway. Most small shops then only need to complete a short annual self-assessment, usually arranged through their payment provider.

Example Because card details never touch the shop’s own server, the PCI DSS paperwork is a short questionnaire.

See also Payment gateway SSL certificate Merchant account