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PCI DSS Requirement – 1.2.6.a

Defined Approach Requirements

1.2.6 Security features are defined and implemented for all services, protocols, and ports that are in use and considered to be insecure, such that the risk is mitigated.

Customized Approach Objective

The specific risks associated with the use of insecure services, protocols, and ports are understood, assessed, and appropriately mitigated.

Applicability Notes

[No detail is provided here in the PCI DSS 4.0]

Defined Approach Testing Procedures

1.2.6.a Examine documentation that identifies all insecure services, protocols, and ports in use to verify that for each, security features are defined to mitigate the risk.
1.2.6.b Examine configuration settings for NSCs to verify that the defined security features are implemented for each identified insecure service, protocol, and port.

Purpose of requirement and procedures

Compromises take advantage of insecure network configurations.

Good practice

If insecure services, protocols, or ports are necessary for business, the risk posed by these services, protocols, and ports should be clearly understood and accepted by the organization, the use of the service, protocol, or port should be justified, and the security features that mitigate
the risk of using these services, protocols, and ports should be defined and implemented by the
entity.
Further Information
For guidance on services, protocols, or ports considered to be insecure, refer to industry standards and guidance (for example, from NIST, ENISA, OWASP).

Definitions

[No detail is provided here in the PCI DSS 4.0]

 

Note: This sub-requirement requirement falls within the primary PCI DSS Requirement 1: Install and Maintain Network Security Controls and secondary requirement 1.2 Network security controls (NSCs) are configured and maintained..


What is the PCI DSS

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of security standards formed in 2004 by Visa, MasterCard, Discover Financial Services, JCB International and American Express. Governed by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC), the compliance scheme aims to secure credit and debit card transactions against data theft and fraud.

While the PCI SSC has no legal authority to compel compliance, it is a requirement for any business that processes credit or debit card transactions. PCI certification is also considered the best way to safeguard sensitive data and information, thereby helping businesses build long lasting and trusting relationships with their customers.

Source: https://www.imperva.com/learn/data-security/pci-dss-certification/

What is the PCI SSC

The PCI SSC mission is to enhance global payment account data security by developing standards and supporting services that drive education, awareness, and effective implementation by stakeholders. We achieve this with a strategic framework to guide our decision-making process and ensure that every initiative is aligned with our mission and supports the needs of the global payments industry.

The four pillars of our strategic framework include:

  1. Increase industry participation and knowledge in the PCI Standards development process and stakeholder support for standards implementation. This ensures that standards and resources reflect and address industry needs and challenges.
  2. Evolve security standards and validation programs to support a range of environments, technologies and methodologies for achieving security. This ensures standards and resources that support and enable safe commerce and the flexibility to use different approaches to meet those standards.
  3. Secure emerging payment channels via development of PCI Standards and resources to support broader payment acceptance. This enables safe commerce in new and emerging card and card-based payment channels such as mobile and internet-of-things.
  4. Increase standards alignment and consistency of PCI Standards to minimize redundancy and support effective implementation.

PCI DSS certification

PCI certification ensures the security of card data at your business through a set of requirements established by the PCI SSC. These include a number of commonly known best practices, such as:

  • Installation of firewalls
  • Encryption of data transmissions
  • Use of anti-virus software

Source: https://www.imperva.com/learn/data-security/pci-dss-certification/


You can learn more about the PCI DSS at https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/

Updated on October 15, 2022
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