PCI DSS v4.0 · Effective March 2025

PCI DSS Compliance
for MSPs Managing
Payment Environments

📜Official source: PCI DSS v4.0 (PCI SSC Document Library)

Automate PCI DSS v4.0 technical control assessments for clients handling cardholder data. Continuous monitoring, SAQ-ready reports, and white-label client documentation.

Start Free Trial → See Coverage
PCI DSS v4.0 Assessment 27/30 Controls
Req 2Secure configurationsPASS
Req 4Encrypted transmissionPASS
Req 6Secure software devFAIL
Req 8Strong access controlPARTIAL
Req 10Log all access to CDEPASS
Req 11Security testingPASS
Coverage

All 12 PCI DSS Requirements

SBCMSP automates the technical controls across PCI DSS v4.0. Requirements marked automated are assessed on every daily scan. Requirements marked partial require both automated and manual review.

1
Network Security Controls
Install and maintain network security controls to protect the CDE.
Partial — External
2
Secure Configurations
Apply secure configurations to all system components. No vendor defaults.
✓ Automated
3
Protect Account Data
Protect stored account data. Render PANs unreadable.
Manual review
4
Protect Transmissions
Protect cardholder data with strong cryptography during transmission.
✓ Automated — TLS/SSL
5
Protect Against Malware
Protect all systems against malware. Update anti-malware regularly.
✓ Automated — Agent
6
Secure Software
Develop and maintain secure systems and software.
✓ Automated — Headers
7
Restrict Access
Restrict access to system components by business need to know.
✓ Automated — RBAC
8
Identify Users
Identify users and authenticate access to system components.
✓ Automated — Auth checks
9
Restrict Physical Access
Restrict physical access to cardholder data.
Manual review
10
Log & Monitor Access
Log and monitor all access to system components and cardholder data.
✓ Automated — Audit logs
11
Test Security Regularly
Test security of systems and networks regularly.
✓ Automated — Daily scans
12
Org Security Policy
Support information security with organizational policies and programs.
Partial — Documentation
Why It Matters

PCI DSS Non-Compliance Is Costly

Card brands and acquiring banks impose significant fines and consequences for merchants and service providers that fail PCI DSS assessments or suffer a breach.

Monthly Non-Compliance Fines
$5,000–$100,000
Fines levied by card brands through the acquiring bank for each month a merchant or service provider is non-compliant with PCI DSS requirements.
Post-Breach Forensic Costs
$100K–$500K
Cost of a PCI forensic investigation (PFI) following a breach. Required by card brands. Separate from breach notification and remediation costs.
Increased Transaction Fees
+0.5–1.5%
Acquiring banks may increase interchange fees for non-compliant merchants, directly impacting revenue on every card transaction processed.
Card Brand Fines Post-Breach
Up to $500K
Visa and Mastercard may assess fines directly to the acquiring bank, who passes them to the merchant, following a data breach involving cardholder data.
For MSPs

Everything Your Payment-Handling Clients Need

SBCMSP covers the technical controls that can be automated, and organizes the documentation for the controls that require manual attestation.

🔐
Transmission Encryption (Req 4)
Daily checks on TLS version, cipher strength, HTTPS enforcement, mixed content, and certificate validity. PCI DSS v4.0 requires TLS 1.2 minimum — SBCMSP flags any weaker configuration immediately.
🛡️
Security Header Checks (Req 6)
CSP, HSTS, X-Frame-Options, X-Content-Type, Referrer-Policy — all required by PCI DSS v4.0 for web-facing payment pages. SBCMSP checks and reports on all header requirements daily.
🔑
Access Control Checks (Req 7/8)
Admin path exposure, default credential detection, session security, basic auth detection, and authentication weakness checks — all mapped to PCI DSS Requirements 7 and 8.
📋
SAQ-Ready PDF Reports
Generate PCI DSS reports formatted for SAQ (Self-Assessment Questionnaire) documentation. Shows which technical controls pass, fail, or are not tested, with remediation guidance for each failing control.
🔍
Vulnerability Scanning (Req 11)
PCI DSS Requirement 11.3 mandates quarterly external vulnerability scans by an ASV. SBCMSP runs daily — giving you continuous visibility between formal ASV scans and evidence of proactive management.
🏷️
White-Label Client Reports
PCI compliance documentation carries your MSP branding — logo, company name, support contact. Present to the client's acquirer or QSA with your firm's name on the report, not ours.

Start PCI DSS Assessments Today

Add your first client domain in 2 minutes. Free 14-day trial, no credit card required.

Start Free Trial →