The March 31, 2025 deadline has come and gone for PCI DSS 4.0. Wherever you’re at in your compliance journey, despite the complexity of the PCI requirements, there are quick wins to be had. Find out what this panel of Fortra experts has to say about PCI DSS compliance and learn about the solutions you need to get results fast.
1. Failure to Comply with PCI DSS 4.0 Can Ruin Your Business Like No Other
PCI DSS compliance is one of “those” compliance policies, notes Mieng Lim, VP of Product Management. In other words, it’s a rare make-or-break requirement. Says Lim, “PCI DSS is one of those standards where if you are out of compliance, you literally can’t operate and process credit card charges to potentially pay for out-of-compliance fines.” This could put you out of business and be the last audit you ever failed.
2. Are Your PCI DSS Compliance Solutions Giving You Their Money’s Worth?
Or are they simply being used to check a box? A WAF, for example, is now a requirement as stated in 6.4.2 of PCI DSS 4.0.1 But it is important to ask: Are you really getting the best possible security and compliance outcomes, or is it merely satisfying PCI DSS auditors? As Josh Davies, Principal Technical Manager, notes: “You can actually go much farther than just having a WAF by stretching to see what other PCI requirements it can address.” Fortra Managed WAF, for example, additionally satisfies requirements 6.4.3 and 11.6.1.
Yet, getting the most out of these features can be hard without the right expertise. “Configuring a WAF to deliver the best possible protections can be challenging for most organizations,” Davies notes. “So, turning to an organization like Fortra who specializes in managed web application firewalls can be a great, easy win.” Fortra Managed WAF not only has leading PCI security controls, but it also comes with a team of web security experts who continuously optimize your security profiles so your consumers can purchase with confidence.
3. Ready-Made Reports and PCI Solutions Make all the Difference
Late to the game? You can hit the ground running with PCI DSS-specific tools that quickly assess your status and reports that prove your compliance to auditors. And with the first compliance deadline behind us, there’s no time to waste. As Rachel McKinnon, Product Manager, Vulnerability Management, notes: “From a PCI ASV scanning perspective, Fortra VM is extremely quick and easy to deploy. Once you get signed up, you can really get started with your PCI scanning within the day.”
And if you’re new to the whole PCI DSS compliance process and want to be guided, the Fortra PCI ProTM fully managed PCI scanning service assigns you a dedicated security analyst who will set up your scans for you and hand you your report. Shares McKinnon, “Our team of PCI ProTM analysts are PCI certified and extremely knowledgeable.”
4. If You Can’t Prove It, You’re Not PCI DSS 4.0 Compliant
The only thing as important as implementing the right PCI DSS protocols is proving policy compliance to PCI regulators. The good news is that PCI DSS is prescriptive, as Malcom Palmer, Principal Product Manager, puts it. It tells you exactly what it requires — all you have to do is prove you’re compliant. “Our reports describe and provide access to security configurations, outcomes, and artifacts that show how Fortra helps you demonstrate compliance to specific PCI 4.0 controls,” he explains.
5. When It Comes to PCI DSS 4.0 Check Boxes, Fortra Checks Them All
There’s nothing like a one-stop-shop when it comes to having your PCI DSS compliance needs met, especially when your ability to do business is on the line and the first compliance deadline is past. “There are 12 PCI requirements and sub-requirements that cover the gamut of securely operating a typical network,” explains Lim. “Fortra can help you achieve compliance in just about all of them. Whether it's vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, monitoring, data security, or data loss prevention, we cover all of it.”
Fortra Meets You Anywhere on Your PCI DSS Compliance Journey
Payment Card Industry compliance may be complex, but with Fortra PCI DSS compliance solutions, organizations can check the compliance boxes to stay in business and maximize true security coverage across their enterprise. And anywhere is a good place to start. As Fortra’s Palmer puts it, “Whether you need help with a specific requirement — like security awareness training — or something comprehensive like XDR, we can plug in where you need it no matter where you are in your compliance journey.”
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Conquer the complexity of PCI DSS 4.0 compliance with Fortra