PCI-DSS Payment Card Industry Compliance Audit Checklist

This comprehensive pci-dss payment card industry compliance audit checklist ensures regulatory compliance with PCI SSC, FFIEC, Visa, Mastercard, GLBA. Annual PCI-DSS self-assessment and compliance audit for financial institutions handling payment card data covering network security, cardholder data protection, vulnerability management, access control, and monitoring per PCI DSS v4.0 requirements. Complete all sections to maintain compliance documentation and audit readiness.

  • Industry: Financial Services & Banking
  • Frequency: Monthly / Quarterly
  • Estimated Time: 60 minutes
  • Role: Compliance Officer / Branch Manager
  • Total Items: 20
  • Compliance: PCI SSC, FFIEC, Visa, Mastercard, GLBA

Network Security and Segmentation

Verify PCI DSS Requirement 1: Network Security Controls.

  • Is Cardholder Data Environment (CDE) segmented from non-CDE networks with verified controls?
  • Are firewall rule sets reviewed at least every 6 months and unnecessary rules removed?
  • Have all vendor-supplied default passwords been changed before any system deployment per PCI DSS Req. 2?
  • Is DMZ implemented to separate untrusted internet traffic from internal cardholder data systems?
  • Is current network diagram maintained showing all connections to CDE and data flows per PCI DSS Req. 1.2?

Cardholder Data Protection

Verify data protection per PCI DSS Requirements 3 and 4.

  • Is Primary Account Number (PAN) never stored unencrypted in any database, log, or document?
  • Is strong cryptography (AES-256, RSA 2048+) used to protect PAN storage and transmission?
  • Is CVV/CVC security code never stored after authorization per PCI DSS Req. 3.4?
  • Is cardholder data retention policy in place deleting data when no longer needed for business?
  • Is TLS 1.2+ used for all transmission of cardholder data over public networks?

Access Control and Authentication

Verify access controls per PCI DSS Requirements 7 and 8.

  • Is access to cardholder data limited to individuals whose job requires it per need-to-know principle?
  • Does every user have unique credentials with no shared accounts per PCI DSS Req. 8.2?
  • Is multi-factor authentication required for all access to CDE systems and remote access per PCI DSS v4.0 Req. 8.4?
  • Are passwords minimum 12 characters with complexity per PCI DSS v4.0 Req. 8.3?
  • Is system access terminated immediately upon employee termination per Req. 8.8?

Monitoring, Logging, and Vulnerability Testing

Verify monitoring per PCI DSS Requirements 10 and 11.

  • Are audit logs capturing all access to CDE systems and cardholder data per PCI DSS Req. 10.2?
  • Are audit logs retained for 12 months with 3 months immediately available per Req. 10.7?
  • Are quarterly internal and external vulnerability scans completed by PCI SSC Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV)?
  • Is annual penetration test completed by qualified penetration tester per PCI DSS Req. 11.4?
  • Are IDS/IPS systems monitoring CDE network traffic with alerts reviewed daily?

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Why Use This PCI-DSS Payment Card Industry Compliance Audit Checklist?

This pci-dss payment card industry compliance audit checklist helps financial services & banking teams maintain compliance and operational excellence. Designed for compliance officer / branch manager professionals, this checklist covers 20 critical inspection points across 4 sections. Recommended frequency: monthly / quarterly.

Ensures compliance with PCI SSC, FFIEC, Visa, Mastercard, GLBA. Regulatory-aligned for audit readiness and inspection documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the PCI-DSS Payment Card Industry Compliance Audit Checklist cover?

This checklist covers 20 inspection items across 4 sections: Network Security and Segmentation, Cardholder Data Protection, Access Control and Authentication, Monitoring, Logging, and Vulnerability Testing. It is designed for financial services & banking operations and compliance.

How often should this checklist be completed?

This checklist should be completed monthly / quarterly. Each completion takes approximately 60 minutes.

Who should use this PCI-DSS Payment Card Industry Compliance Audit Checklist?

This checklist is designed for Compliance Officer / Branch Manager professionals in the financial services & banking industry. It can be used for self-assessments, team audits, and regulatory compliance documentation.

Can I download this checklist as a PDF?

Yes, this checklist is available as a free PDF download. You can also use it digitally in the POPProbe mobile app for real-time data capture, photo documentation, and automatic reporting.

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