What is PCI DSS security Standards?

PCI DSS, or Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, is a set of security standards established by major credit card companies to protect cardholder data during payment card transactions. It consists of 12 high-level requirements covering areas such as network security, data protection, and vulnerability management. Compliance with PCI DSS is mandatory for any organization that stores, processes, or transmits payment card data. Validation of compliance can be achieved through self-assessment questionnaires, external audits by Qualified Security Assessors (QSAs), and network scans by Approved Scanning Vendors (ASVs). Non-compliance with PCI DSS can result in financial penalties, increased transaction fees, and damage to an organization's reputation.