Comparison between PCI-DSS and SOC 2
Overview
PCI-DSS and SOC 2 are both security compliance standards that help organizations protect customer data. PCI-DSS is focused on protecting credit card data and is regulated by the credit card industry, while SOC 2 is focused on protecting customer data and is regulated by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. PCI-DSS has specific requirements for data encryption and access control, while SOC 2 has more general requirements for security, availability, processing integrity, and privacy. Both standards help organizations ensure data is secure and compliant with regulations.
Contents
What is PCI-DSS?
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) is a set of security standards designed to ensure the secure handling of credit card information by organizations that process, store, or transmit credit card information. It was created by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) and is managed by the major credit card companies, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and JCB. The PCI-DSS is designed to protect cardholder data by requiring organizations to implement appropriate technical and organizational measures, such as encryption and access control. The standard also provides guidance on how to protect cardholder data throughout its lifecycle, from the time it is collected to the time it is destroyed. It also requires organizations to regularly assess their security posture and report any security breaches. Organizations that store, process, or transmit credit card information must comply with the PCI-DSS in order to be able to accept credit cards as a form of payment. Failure to comply with the standard can result in fines and other penalties, such as the suspension of the organization's ability to accept credit cards.
What is SOC 2?
SOC 2 is a security and privacy audit standard established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). It is used to evaluate the security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of a service organizations systems. SOC 2 reports provide assurance to customers, partners, and regulators that a service organization has the necessary controls in place to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of customer data. The report also provides assurance that the service organization follows industry-standard practices for data protection and privacy. The SOC 2 audit is conducted by a third-party auditor and is based on the AICPAs Trust Services Criteria. The audit is conducted over a period of time, usually several months, and includes an evaluation of the service organizations security policies and procedures, physical security, logical security, data security, and other related areas. The audit results in a report that details the service organizations security and privacy controls and provides assurance that these controls are operating effectively.
A Comparison Between PCI-DSS and SOC 2
1. Both standards focus on the security of customer data.
2. Both standards require organizations to maintain a secure environment.
3. Both standards require organizations to have a documented security policy.
4. Both standards require organizations to regularly assess and monitor security measures.
5. Both standards require organizations to have processes in place to detect and respond to security incidents.
6. Both standards require organizations to have a plan to protect customer data.
7. Both standards require organizations to have procedures in place to protect customer data.
8. Both standards require organizations to provide regular security training to employees.
9. Both standards require organizations to have a risk management program in place.
10. Both standards require organizations to have appropriate security controls in place.
The Key Differences Between PCI-DSS and SOC 2
1. PCI-DSS is focused on protecting credit card data, while SOC 2 is focused on protecting any type of sensitive data.
2. PCI-DSS is a compliance standard, while SOC 2 is an audit and certification standard.
3. PCI-DSS requires an annual audit, while SOC 2 requires an audit every two years.
4. PCI-DSS has 12 different requirements, while SOC 2 has five different trust services criteria.
5. PCI-DSS is managed by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC), while SOC 2 is managed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).