As we work through the requirements of PCI DSS, we’ve run into several calls for securing data against “unauthorized users.” Operationally, this makes sense–cardholder data should be protected against use or viewing by people that don’t have a reason to do so. However, any effective IT security system must have a method to ensure that only authorized individuals access resources. This is what the seventh requirement of PCI DSS 4.0 addresses–restricting access to system components and cardholder data. 

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Software, whether a locale installation or a web application, carries the risk of attack. While phishing and other social engineering attacks are some of the most common forms of a system breach, hackers still go for open vulnerabilities in software, whether due to bugs or misconfigured settings. That’s why the sixth requirement of the PCI DSS 4.0 emphasizes the practices and policies that help maintain secure software. 

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Malware is an ever-present, if sometimes forgotten, threat to our IT systems. We tend to think that anti-malware and other security measures have effectively blocked out the threats of old worms and viruses. The real threat is against network and application security. However, hackers always look to launch malware into compromised systems to listen, learn, and steal information. 

The fifth requirement of PCI DSS 4.0 is all about protection against malware. IT systems handling PAN or other cardholder information must have specific anti-malware security measures to mitigate these threats and ensure that they haven’t made their way into protected system resources. 

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