PCI DSS
Industry standard for protecting payment card data
ISO 22301
International standard for business continuity management systems
Quick Verdict
PCI DSS secures cardholder data for payment entities via mandatory controls, while ISO 22301 builds business continuity resilience across all organizations through voluntary BCMS. Companies adopt PCI DSS to avoid fines and bans; ISO 22301 for disruption recovery and trust.
PCI DSS
Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard
Key Features
- Mandates 12 requirements across 6 control objectives
- Enforces 300+ granular controls for CHD protection
- Tiered compliance levels by transaction volume
- Requires quarterly ASV vulnerability scans
- Emphasizes MFA and strong cryptography in v4.0
ISO 22301
ISO 22301:2019 Business Continuity Management Systems Requirements
Key Features
- PDCA cycle for continual BCMS improvement
- Business Impact Analysis (BIA) for critical functions
- Risk assessment and treatment planning
- Leadership commitment and policy requirements
- Operational testing and audit processes
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
PCI DSS Details
What It Is
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a contractual industry framework managed by the PCI Security Standards Council. It mandates protection of cardholder data (CHD) and sensitive authentication data (SAD) for merchants and service providers handling credit/debit cards. Comprising 12 requirements under 6 control objectives, it uses a control-based approach focused on secure payment environments.
Key Components
- **12 requirementsBuild secure networks, protect CHD, manage vulnerabilities, implement access controls, monitor networks, maintain policies.
- Over 300 sub-requirements in v4.0 (mandatory post-2024).
- **Tiered compliance4 merchant levels, 2 service provider levels by transaction volume.
- Validation via SAQ, QSA ROC, and quarterly ASV scans.
Why Organizations Use It
- Avoids contractual penalties like fines, bans, and $37/record breach costs.
- Builds customer trust and reduces fraud risks.
- Complements regulations (e.g., GDPR).
- Ensures global payment processing capability.
Implementation Overview
- Scope CDE, diagram data flows, perform gap analysis.
- Deploy controls (segmentation, MFA, encryption), train staff.
- Applies to all card-handling entities worldwide.
- Requires annual audits/scans for ongoing compliance.
ISO 22301 Details
What It Is
ISO 22301:2019 is an international certification standard specifying requirements for a Business Continuity Management System (BCMS). It enables organizations to protect against, respond to, and recover from disruptions using a flexible, risk-based PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) approach applicable across all sectors and sizes.
Key Components
- 10 clauses on Annex SL structure, core Clauses 4-10 cover context, leadership, planning (BIA, risk assessment), support, operations (recovery, testing), evaluation (audits, reviews), and improvement.
- Emphasizes Business Impact Analysis (BIA), Recovery Time Objectives (RTO), and continual enhancement.
- Certification via two-stage audits, valid 3 years with surveillance.
Why Organizations Use It
Drives resilience, reduces downtime/losses, ensures compliance (e.g., NIS Directive, NIST), builds trust/reputation, lowers insurance, boosts competitiveness amid cyber/pandemic risks.
Implementation Overview
Gap analysis, BIA, policy/training, testing, audits; accelerated by tools (e.g., 60 days). Universal applicability; certification 6-8 weeks post-readiness.
Key Differences
| Aspect | PCI DSS | ISO 22301 |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Cardholder data protection | Business continuity management |
| Industry | Payment processing entities | All sectors worldwide |
| Nature | Contractual security standard | Voluntary certification framework |
| Testing | Quarterly ASV scans, pentests | Periodic BCMS exercises, audits |
| Penalties | Fines, processing bans | No legal penalties, certification loss |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about PCI DSS and ISO 22301
PCI DSS FAQ
ISO 22301 FAQ
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