Safeguarding Payment Card Data

What Every Business Needs to Know About PCI DSS v4.0 and Email Security

The Payment Card Industry has raised the bar with PCI DSS v4.0. It calls for robust anti-phishing measures for businesses handling card transactions by March 31, 2025. This isn’t just a suggestion; it’s a requirement that could impact your ability to process payment cards in the payment card industry. To begin with, let’s explore why email security, particularly against phishing and spoofing, is crucial.

The Harsh Reality of Email Threats

Email-based attacks are a significant threat to businesses. They are capable of draining bank accounts, compromising sensitive payment card information, and eroding customer trust. Here are some key statistics:

• Email as Attack Vector: Verizon’s Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) consistently highlights email as a primary channel for malware delivery and phishing attacks.
• Phishing Impact: A report by the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) showed that phishing attacks continue to be a leading threat vector for cybercrime. Notably, SentinelOne reveals that approximately 96% of phishing attacks are launched through email.
• Spoofing Impact: To put things into perspective, proofpoint reports that 3.1 billion domain spoofing emails are sent each day, highlighting the sheer scale of the threat.
• BEC Costs: The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reports that Business Email Compromise (BEC) scams remain one of the most financially damaging online crimes. In 2023, BEC scams cost businesses billions of dollars globally.

PCI DSS v4.0: A Game-Changing Mandate

PCI DSS v4.0 requires businesses to implement robust anti-phishing mechanisms. This includes using technologies like DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) to prevent fraudsters from using your email domain for fake emails.

So, What Happens If You Don’t Comply?

The stakes are high:

• Fines and Penalties: Potential fines from payment card networks.
• Loss of Payment Processing: Inability to process card payments.

Information about PCI DSS compliance requirements can be found on the PCI Security Standards Council website. https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/

How Can You Comply with Payment Card Industry Standards?

DMARC: Your Secret Weapon for Safeguarding Payment Card Data

DMARC is crucial for several reasons:

• Prevents Email Spoofing: It helps prevent attackers from using your email domain to send fake emails.
• Enables Proactive Protection: DMARC prevents attacks from landing in your team’s or customers’ inboxes.
• Provides Audit Trail: It provides a clear audit trail of email authentication attempts, helping in compliance and security audits.
• Enhances Visibility and Protection: DMARC enables domain owners to identify legitimate and unauthorized email sources. It provides visibility into potential spoofing attempts or authentication issues. This allows fine-tuning of policies to block fraudulent emails, protecting brands from phishing attacks and ensuring only authenticated emails reach recipients.

The Bottom Line

PCI DSS v4.0 raises the bar – it’s not about red tape and ticking boxes, it’s about truly securing your customers’ payment data. DMARC is one of the smartest ways to get there. Don’t overlook it.

Ready to take control?

Check your domain’s DMARC status with ARMD.digital’s “Know your score” tool and book a free meeting.