Defined Approach Requirements
3.3.1 SAD is not retained after authorization, even if encrypted. All sensitive authentication data received is rendered unrecoverable upon completion of the authorization process.
Customized Approach Objective
This requirement is not eligible for the customized approach.
Applicability Notes
This requirement does not apply to issuers and companies that support issuing services (where SAD is needed for a legitimate issuing business need) and have a business justification to store the sensitive authentication data.
Refer to Requirement 3.3.3 for additional requirements specifically for issuers.
Sensitive authentication data includes the data cited in Requirements 3.3.1.1 through 3.3.1.3.
Defined Approach Testing Procedures
3.3.1.a If SAD is received, examine documented policies, procedures, and system configurations to verify the data is not retained after authorization.
3.3.1.b If SAD is received, examine the documented procedures and observe the secure data deletion processes to verify the data is rendered unrecoverable upon completion of the authorization process.
Purpose of requirement and procedures
SAD is very valuable to malicious individuals as it allows them to generate counterfeit payment cards and create fraudulent transactions.
Therefore, the storage of SAD upon completion of
the authorization process is prohibited.
Good practice
[No detail is provided here in the PCI DSS 4.0]
Definitions
The authorization process completes when a merchant receives a transaction response (for example, an approval or decline).
Note: This sub-requirement requirement falls within the primary PCI DSS Requirement 3: Protect Stored Account Data and secondary requirement 3.3 Sensitive authentication data (SAD) is not stored after authorization..
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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/